The Old Ways Are Lost
by The Gypsy Pirates
Summary: Jack Meets up with an old flame who he had thought lost, but just as he believes that he can have his old life back a few new elements come to try and rip it away from him. Jack OC, Rated M for Violence and Sexual content.
1. Crossing Paths

Crossing Paths:

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"Bloody eunuch!" Jack yelled, brandishing his arms about. He stood over Will, who had slipped on the wet deck and was looking up at Jack like he was a maniac.  
"Jack, I will fix the boat. Stop yelling." Will climbed to his feet and turned away from Jack, fiddling with one of the long boats.  
"Eh? Much more of this and I think that kid of your's won't have a father anymore, savvy? I'm surprised you managed to ever get the woman pregnant, you know that? Who'll be singing the lullabies, hm?"

Still muttering under his breath, Jack turned to look out over Tortuga from The Pearl. They had docked for a short time to pick up a few crew members and some supplies, but then William had knocked over one of the boats, and it was needing repairs. Jack leaned against the larboard railing and thought about life since Will had come aboard. Will had refused to let Elizabeth come, for she was with child and the risk was too high. So she stayed with her father until Will's return. Sighing, Jack made his way down the plank to the dock. It was Tortuga, he should lighten his mental load while he was here.

Smirking, he headed for his favorite pub and poked his head in. There near the center, sat Gibbs and many other of his crew, laughing and drinking from their flaggons. Marty looked around and motioned for him to join him. Jack's smirk fell. The bloody men were completly drunk. That meant more time they had to spend away from open water. He sighed again, but gave in and sat down with his own mug of rum.

An hour later, many of the men had either headed back to the ship, or passed out right there at the table. Jack sat, the only one still concious, staring off at the wall on the other side of the pub. For some reason, the pattern of the wood grain struck him, and he studied it closely. Bloody rum, he thought. His eyes closed slowly, and he slumped forward a little onto the table, not registering the sounds of the rowdy tavern customers around him. He was aware of the mug slipping from his grasp and onto the floor with a soft Clank!, before he blacked out like his crew.

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Jane paced around the streets of Tortuga, she had heard about this port from many a pirate. But she had never planned on going there, that was until she heard about how easy it was to get work. Not as a whore mind you, she was a pirate. Not the best in all the seas, but a pirate none the less.  
She stuffed a bit of her hair back up into her hat. One thing that she had learned in her time on the sea was it was a bad idea to let anyone know she was a woman. And in this town it was almost a death sentence to show any sign.  
Jane stopped in front of a crowded tavern, drunken men toppled out of the doorway making rude gestures and sounds. She stepped in over the smelly bodies thinking that in the least she could get her a bit of rum to calm her nerves. Jane looked around the pub trying to find the best guy to get info about a job from. She grinned seeing a partictulerly handsome man slomped over his table. She watched as his mug fell to the floor. She laughed and picked it up and slambed it down on the table waking him up.  
Jack was startled awake by the loud sound of the mug being slamed down in front of him. He blinked a couple of times and pulled himself up into a slouched sitting position, looking at the slightly blurred figure standing before him. He raised an eyebrow, recognizing that it was a woman, though she did seem to be trying to hide it. But there was one thing he was goood at, sniffing out beutiful women.  
"'Ello, love. Looking for a lap?" He patted his lap with the hand that was not holding a steady grip on the table. His eyes swept over the figure of the woman, making out all her hidden curves.  
Jane gasped wondering if he could tell or if he was just a little different. Noticing how he was looking at her curving form she realized how bad her disguise was.  
"Hell no! You Wretch!" she said sitting down across from him instead.  
"I would offer to buy you a drink, but you know it looks to me like you've already had one too many. One more and you might just piss rum." she smirked and couldnt help but laugh at how he had to hold himself up, well almost held himself up..  
Jack had been bending down under the table to get his fallen mug, when he realized that she had used his mug to wake him. He sat up and as a result, wacked his head on the table.  
"Bloody hell!" he shouted, wincing and ducking out from under the table. Holding the back of his head in one hand, he sneered at her.  
"You? Buy me a drink?" He shook his head trying to get the dizzyness to clear from his eyes.   
"Ye see, I thought that was my job. I pay for ye and yer drink, savvy? Although, I'm not goin' to complain if ye buy me a drink, but that kind of beats the purpose, now doesn' it?" Jane sneered at him and tried very hard not to deck him out right there.  
"What the bloody hell mate?! You pay for a whore and her drink. And I'm no whore you wretch!" She pulled a couple coins from her pocket and slambed them down on the table.  
"Now, how about that drink?" She grabbed his mug and let to the bar.  
Jack's smile fell as she stood up to walk to the bar. But as she walked off, it reappeared as he tilted his head slightly, his eyes wandering farther down her body than was polite. He smirked and continued to watch as she reached the counter. Beside him, Gibbs had started to stir. Jack elbowed him hard in the side and Gibbs shot up with a shout.

"For the love of mother and child, Jack, can ye ever leave a man in peace?" he asked, frowning at his captain.

"Ye will have wanted to be woken, mate," Jack reply, still smirking. He pointed over to Jane at the bar, and gave a small laugh as Gibbs eyes made the same path Jack's had. But as Jane turned to walk back, he pushed Gibbs away. "Hurry, pretend to be asleep again, ye lousy lump!"

Gibbs frowned, but did as he was told, resting his head back down on the table and dangling an arm to the floor.  
Jane started to hand Jack his rum, but at the last minute pulled it away causeing some of the burning amber to spill on her shirt.  
"What's your name anyhow mate?" Sitting down she glanced at a pirate who seemed to be passed out close by, she sneered and tried to ignore the smell coming from him.  
"Something I was going to ask ye," Jack said, reaching over the table to take one of the rums from her. Then he reached up to tip his hat, his sideways grin playing on his face.  
"Captain Jack Sparrow, to ye, love. And this," He motioned to the men asleep around them.  
"Is my crew..."   
He frowned.  
"Well, some of 'em anyways." He took a sip of the rum and then looked up at Jane.  
"And ye, love? Who do I have the pleasure of drinking with on this fine Tortuga evening?" He looked out the dirty window  
"Er, morning," he corrected himself.  
"Jane...and that be it, Jane, or Jane Blackblade" She made sure to pronounce her pirate name, Blackblade was a name most knew in the Caribbean. And he didn't need to know that she was notthe reason it was known.  
"Ah Captain is it, so you must have a ship around here huh? What fine bit of wood may I ask to you have?" She knew right who he was the moment he said his name, who didn't know Jack Sparrow.  
Jack raised an eyebrow at her. Beside him Gibbs made a funny sound that sounded like a snicker. Jack elbowed him in the ribs again to shut him up.  
"Er, The Black Pearl, I'm sure ye've heard of it." He smirked and took another sip from his new mug of rum, resting his foot on the one that had fallen under the table.  
Jane stared at him a second then smirked, this was perfect. The Black Pearl.  
"The Black Pearl huh?" She took a drink of her rum and smiled seductivly at him.   
Jack narrowed his eyes and the leaned in close, as if he was about to tell her a secret.  
"Aye, The Black Pearl, love. Fastest ship in the Caribbean. Freedom." His eyes were alight with pleasure at his own words, as he smiled lopsidedly at her and downed the rest of his rum in a sort of toast.  
"Aye, The Black Pearl?" She hesitated, not sure how just to go about this.  
"Hm...would you think...oh, nevermind, not like the great Captain Jack Sparrow would want a woman aboard his ship. So..." She smirked and set her rum down and slid it over to him as an offering.  
Jack rolled his eyes, and after downing the mug in one gulp said,  
"Ye wanna come aboard?" He asked, knowing full well what she was doing, but not really caring. She was hot. He stood and nudged Gibbs with his foot.  
"Ge' up, you lazy dogs!" he shouted to his crew. They all slowly groaned, stretched, and got up slowly. Some sneered at Jane.  
"Ye're gonna bring a whore on board with ye, Cap'n?" One man asked, with a small smile.

Jack ignored them and turned back to Jane. "Are ye coming? Ye have to work your keep, I'll have ye know. No free board on my ship."  
Jane laughed and tipped her hat.   
"Ay, but you think that my "keep" is anything other then anyother pirate I will castrate you. Got me?" She sneered and glowered her eyes at him. He laid one hand on her and she was going to kill him.  
Jack grinned at the look on her face, and played along. He stepped closer to her and slinked an arm around her shoulders, pulling her close to his side so that their hips bumped together.  
"Tha's for me to decide, Jane, but I can safely say ye will only be scrubbin' deck" he replied, leaning in close to her ear. Jane sneered and pulled from him.  
"Aye thats what I thought, goodbye Sparrow!" Jane started to step away k nowinf ful well what he would do.  
Jack laughed. "Come 'ere, love. I was only joking." He strode after her and grabbed her forearm lightly.  
"Ye'll just scrub the decks. Cook and clean. Tha' be it, cross my heart an' swear to burn me rum!" He turned to the door of the pub.  
"So, under the new conditions, are ye coming?" Jane smiled.  
"Aye I be coming! But know this..." She stepped right up to him, her face right in his.   
"Come into my room once and ye will be singing with the best of women. I will never sleep with you." Walking out the door she winked at him.  
He smirked as he watched her walk away.  
"Savvy, love." As he followed her towards the docks, however, he turned to Gibbs.  
"A week, maybe two," he whispered. Gibbs shook his head.  
"Maybe ye should leave 'er alone fer a while, Cap'n... Mother's love, we now have two women on board. What lies in store fer us?"

Jack rolled his eyes and walked a little faster to reach the gangplank ahead of Jane. He gave a mock bow to her, stepping aside for her.  
"After you, young Miss Jane."  
Jane pushed past him and knocked him a bit as she made her way to the deck.  
"Jane, call me Miss and you die. So where will I be bunking Sparrow?" She looked around her at the dirty crew, maybe this was a bad idea.  
"I's Captain, love. But plain ol' Jack will do, savvy?" He smiled and waited for her to climb up to the ship.  
"Ye'll have to choose between bunking with Anamaria, or sleeping with the crew. But between you and me," he leaned in close.  
"I'd rather have a separate hammock in the crew's quarters than to share a bunk with Ana. She's scary." He smirked and shrugged.  
"Or there's the cold deck, or...my room. Your choice, darling."  
Jane raised her eyebrow at his last comment. Was he really going to let her decide where she slept during her stay on his ship?  
"My choice huh..." She smirked thinking of the best way to be annoying.  
"Well, I take your cabin. One question though, where are you going to stay?" Jack's smile fell. Wh did he take her aboard?  
"Alrigh', very funny. Ye be nice or I will make ye sleep in the crows nest with Cotton. "He laughed as he followed her the rest of the way up the plank.  
"But its gets rather cold up there..." he trailed off, smirking, and walked away towards his cabin.  
"Fine!" She frowned at him exasperated. Jack spun around and rolled his eyes.  
"Well then, ye don't mind sharing the nest with Cotton here, do you?" He patted the back of an old man with a parrot on his shoulder who was tying down a rope. The man smiled shyly and went back to his work.  
"Oh yeah, maybe ye could bunk up with William too, but he's a married man, and that wouldn't be too kind to dear Lizzie, now would it?" Jane frowned and studied his face a moment.  
"Ok fine, how big is your room?" Her face was almost expressionless, almost. You could still see the look of, I will you kill in her eyes. Jack's sideways grin had returned at her words.  
"I'm the Captain, love. I can make it as big as the entire ship, if I wanted." He reached out a hand and pushed open the door to his cabin, allowing her to step inside.  
"See for yerself." The room was actually quite roomy, with one large bed, a wardrobe, desk, table for 4, and two chairs in the corner.  
Stepping her way inside she looked around the cabin feeling taken aback.  
"Wow, Captain. I must say I am impressed. Your room is actually decent. At least something about you is." She smirked at him over her shoulder. After hearing the door shut she flopped down in one of the chairs.  
"So, you don't mind me staying here huh? I wouldn't be to tempting?" Jack's eyes widened eagerly as he turned away from the door to face her. He walked to the corner of the room where she sat and looked down at her, smirking.  
"Mind? O' coarse I don't." He turned and spread his arms in the direction of the bed.  
"There's room for us both, I assure you." He twirled a hand absently as he began to take off his effects, coat, and vest. Then he turned to Jane again, his shirt front falling open at the top to reveal much of his chest.  
"Should we get know each other a little better, then?" He had meant it as a joke, but suddenly his own composure disappeared and his shoulders slouched as something came into play in his mind that he had not thought about for many years now.  
Looking at Jack's bare chest, she didn't even register his last words, or the sudden flash of sadness on his face. Then she looked away, feeling slightly embarrassed, but only slightly. Being on pirate ship after pirate ship as a boy she had seen much worse.  
"I think I will be fine right here thank you." She shifted in the chair, which wasn't as easy as she thought it would be.  
"Suit yerself, love," Jack said, regaining his airy attitude, and smirking plainly. He turned and headed for the door to check in with Gibbs on deck. On the way be, he grabbed his vest and flung it back on, along with his own baldric, pistol, and hat. The day was just beginning and he needed to get out to sea. The stillness of his ship was making him sick.  
Jack opened the door to his cabin and looked up at the upper deck to see Gibbs standing at the helm, waiting for him. He lept up the stairs, two at a time, and rested a hand fondly on one peg of the wheel. "What's the news, Gibbs?"

The older man looked at Jack for a moment before speaking. He shifted uncomfortabley and cleared his throught. "Ahem. Er, Captain, Master Will has still, uh, not finished his repairs on the long boat. And, er, he's asleep...in his cabin." He braced himself for the blow. It didn't exactly come.

Jack sighed exasperatedly and threw his head forward onto the wheel. It smacked into it with a loud thud, but he only repeated the action. "And does Mister Turner know that I am this close," He held up his thumb and index finger about a centimeter apart, "to making him a eunuch myself?!"

Gibbs smiled at his Captain's words, knowing all too well that Jack would never do such a thing. No man deserved that. "I doubt it, Jack."

The Captain looked up and said, as he flung down the stairs, "Well, then, I think Mister Turner, needs some persuasion, what d'you say?"

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Rhi leaned against the mast of her ship, the sun would soon rush its way into sky lighting up the day with yellow heat. The reflection on the sea would make it even harder for her to move around.  
She was already sixth months into her pregnancy, her belly rounded much fuller then it should be for this time. She ran her hands over her abdomen as she watched her husband at the helm. Even after years of being together it still surprised her how he could go from the warm and passionate lover in the bedroom to the cold and harsh captain she saw before her.  
He yelled out orders to the crew, a mariad of chores and duties that made no sense to her. She had been born in a dirty little town back in Ireland, then moved to the British colonies of India when she was twelve to live with her aunt, uncle, and her older cousin. Eventually, she had found herself a bar wench in some seedy tavern.  
It had not been her choice, but for Rhi it was better then thinking on her past. On the past she longed to still have, if only she had taken the right choice then. Things would have turned out so different. It had been ten years almost to the day since her husband, Captain Kelly Larker, came into that pub and wisked her away to the warm blue waters of the Caribbean. The one place she wished to be more then any other place in the world.  
She walked up to Kelly and ran her hand over his shoulder pressing her full belly into him, an action that always made him smile.  
"So how much longer do you think?" Captain Kelly smirked as he ran his hand up and down Rhi's back. She moaned simply content and nothing more to be his lover and wife.  
"Not long Luv, we be comin' up on port now. Just don' worry Rhi, I made a promise." Rhi grinned and played with his baldric, she new every nick and scrape on it. How many times she had to patch the thing she could not recall. A thought poped into her head.  
"What port are we making for?" Kelly ran his fingers through her hair and looked out at the rapidly approching docks.  
"Tortuga" Rhi followed her husband's eyes and she held in a gasp as her own laid firmly on the black sails of the ship that still remained bearthed.

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"William!" Jack shouted, banging a fist on the door of Will's cabin.  
"Get out there and fix my bloody boat!" The door was flung open and there stood Will, shirtless and sweating nervously.

"Jack! I-" he was interupted by a voice from behind him. A female voice.

"Will, come back here!"

Will's face went white and he looked in horror at Jack. Jack's eyes widened and he stared at Will, his jaw dropping.  
"Who the bloody hell is that?!" he asked, increduously, pushing the door open all the way. He stared at Will's bed, tilting his head back, his teeth showing a little as he pulled his mustached lip up. In the bed was a blond woman, her curly hair messy and her corset unstringed.   
"Giselle," he said, nodding curtly to the woman.

She ignored him and stood up, placing an arm on Will's upper arm.  
"Come on, Will, the boat can wait." She slammed the door in Jack's face so that he was forced to take a step back.

He stared dumbfoundedly at the door, then looked at Gibbs, who had followed him from the helm and was now looking at him, wide-eyed.  
"Er..." Jack said, unsure of what to do. Then he raised his chin up and marched out on deck again.  
"Ah. Xavier! Fix the boat!" He called to a young curly red haired man. Xavier nodded and shuffled off to patch the hole in the boat's bow.

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Rhi slipped from her husband's arms slowly and made her way to her cabin. It couldn't be, it just could it be. The Black Pearl, what a sight! She pulled her hair up onto her head in a loose bun letting a few strands fall over her face.  
She could not get the idea of the Pearl out of her head. She wrapped a large green ruana around her dilberatly concealing her belly. Tortuga was no place for a woman, none the less one so heavy with child.  
The Irish Rose glided along the Caribbean blue, her captain smirking as he stood at the helm. He had no clue as to the thoughts running in his wife's head, what she was off doing and why.  
Rhi stepped out of her cabin, her hair finely done and her face cleaned with her eyes slightly painted as well as her cheeks. She looked flush with the blush of pregnancy and a small smile spread over her face.  
'The Black Pearl...' Thoughts ran through her head. She walked up to her husband and leaned into him making him smile again. They were so close to the Pearl now that Rhi could see her crew working to ready her for setting sail. Rhi smiled brightly at who she saw at the helm, her heart beating wildly.

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Authors' Notes: Ok well first off the title of this story comes from the Sond The Old Ways by Loreena McKennitt from The Visit Album.

For disclaimers please see our author page. We do not own anything, only the characters not from the movie.


	2. A Rose in the Garden

A Rose in the Garden:

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The Irish Rose glided along the Caribbean blue, her captain smirking as he stood at the helm. He had no clue as to the thoughts running in his wife's head, what she was off doing and why.  
Rhi stepped out of her cabin, her hair finely done and her face cleaned with her eyes slightly painted as well as her cheeks. She looked flush with the blush of pregnancy and a small smile spread over her face.  
'The Black Pearl...' Thoughts ran through her head. She walked up to her husband and leaned into him making him smile again. They were so close to the Pearl now that Rhi could see her crew working to ready her for setting sail. Rhi smiled brightly at who she saw at the helm, her heart beating wildly.

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Jack turned slightly to look at the incoming ship, one hand resting on the wheel of his beloved Pearl.  
He did not give the ship a second thought, and certainly did not acknowledge its Captain. There seemed to be nothing special about this ship.  
He looked away, thinking on what Will was doing. Jack was surprised. He'd always thought of William as faithful to his wife. But he guessed he had been wrong.

Suddenly he got the uneasy feeling of someone watching him. He looked back at the approaching ship. It was much nearer now.   
Jack could see the crew clearly. There was a woman with the man standing at the helm and she was looking at him. Jack cleared his throat and squinted at the woman.  
Yes, she was definitely looking at him, watching him. His brow furrowed and he looked away.

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Rhi smiled. There was no question that it was the Black Pearl, there at the helm was Jack Sparrow. He had not changed so much since she had last seen him, maybe slightly older, but nothing that made him unrecognizable.  
She on the other hand had changed so much her own mother wouldn't even know her. She felt her breath get caught in her throat as she felt his questioning eyes on her, but it had been brief as he had looked away. She looked to her husband and frowned a little, there was so much of her past he didn't know, so much he maybe wouldn't want to know.  
Rhi left her husband's side and moved as quickly as she could to the starboard railing, she wanted herself to be the first thing he saw when they bearthed. They were edging ever closer now, and she could feel her husband's eyes on her.

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Jane fiddled her fingers as she sat in the chair. Deciding to wander about on deck she stood. It was best to learn the lay of the ship as soon as possible incase she had to flee.  
The warm sunlight glared down into her eyes making it almost hard to see the approaching ship.  
"Oi! Sparrow, what's going on?" She leaned on the wheel and pulled a bit of snuff from her shirt and played around with it. She never really used the stuff, but the smell reminded her of her old ship. The captain used it all the time.  
Jack looked her up and down and raised an eyebrow.  
"What the bloody hell is going on? We are waiting for the bloody boat to be repaired cause bloody Will decided to host a whore instead of fix the ship he broke!" He waved a handed at Wills cabin and sneered at Jane messing with the snuff. He cleared his throat and glanced at the incoming ship again.  
The woman was still watching him, now standing at the rail. He looked away and peered at Jane.  
"Ahem. Anyways..." he leaned against the wheel slightly so that his legs were crossed and he was standing on the sides of his feet.  
"If you want to sleep with Will instead, go and ask him. Giselle might even welcome the company while shes here. Although," he smirked.  
"I cannot allow her to stay on board, so if they aren't finished up before we sail, it's down to Jones' locker for her." He sighed and placed a hand on his cheek where the blonde woman had slapped him so many times.  
"Such a pity. Perhaps you'll tell her that for me, love? When you go down to ask Will if you can sleep with him." He looked away, still feeling like the woman was looking at him. "Er, in his room, that is," he said, as he turned to see the other ship almost docked, and the woman still standing there.  
"I think." He made an unhappy face, still not understanding. Still not recognizing.

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Rhi watched as The Irish Rose made bearth, Jack looked uneasy where he stood. Why shouldn't he be? There was a strange, or what she fingered he thought a strange woman staring at him non-stop.  
She smiled her eyes sparkling in the raising sun. He really hadn't changed, even the dirt on his face looked to be in the same messy pattern.  
Rhi could hear Kelly behind her, his voice filled with a tinge of suspicion as he yelled at his crew to head into port. She lost herself standing there just watching, knowing he had no clue. She felt an arm around her and the warm breath of her husband.  
"Wha' be so interestin' there luv?" His breath blew over her ear and tickled its way down her breasts.  
"Nothing, nothing what so ever my love." Rhi's smile fell, what regrets she had! Would her life had taken this turn if she had just said yes?

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Jack drummed his fingers on the wheel, intentionally ignoring the eyes on him. He looked down to where Xavier was still working away on the long boat. He sighed. "Hurry up, you scurvy dog!" he called.

Xavier smiled and turned to look up at Jack. "All done, Cap'n!"

"Excellent!" Jack said. He practically lept around in enthusiasm.  
"Gibbs! We're off! Raise anchor, set sail!" He reached down to the waist and yanked the compass from his belt. Flipping it open, he peered at the needle. It spun around for a moment, before landing towards a different dock.   
Jack frowned and followed it's direction. It was the same ship, the same woman. He cleared his throat and shook the compass. No change. "What the bloody hell?" He whispered quietly.

Behind him, Gibbs said, "Anything wrong, Captain?"

Jack spun around to peer at him, his head tilted back, in deep thought. "Er, no, but, uh, give me a moment..." He turned to the lower deck and almost hopped across the gang plank. He had to know who this woman was. 

--------------------

Rhi shivered a bit as her husband left her side. She watched with a pounding heart as Jack Sparrow came towards them. She loved her husband that was true, but there were things in her past, people in her past that she would always hold near her heart.  
She pulled the ruana tightly around her so her fullness could not be seen, what would he think of her now, would he remember her?  
Jack had reached the dock that The Irish Rose had berthed in and looked the ship up and down. Then he looked further up and spotted the woman again. Since no gangplank had been lowered yet, he waited to see the Captain.  
He needed to see this woman up close. Needed to talk to her. A weird feeling erupted in his stomach as he looked up at her. Who was she? What was so familiar about her?  
Rhi looked down at Jack, she could tell by the look on his face what he must be thinking. She smiled down at him before turning around and whispering something in the young cabin boy's ear.  
The cabin boy dropped the gang plank and ran off without looking a moment back at Rhi, she had gotten used to it. Most on the Rose would pay little heed to her. She was the Captain's wife, no man would dare look at her. Rhi walked slowly over to the gang plank and waited, a sweet smile gracing her face.  
Jack looked up at the woman smiling at him. He just didn't get it. What in the world was wrong with him? He cleared his throat. Why was he so nervous?  
He placed one booted foot on the gang plank, and then another, slowly walking up to the woman. He reached her and looked into her eyes, frowning. Then, squinting, he crossed his arms across his chest and, taking a deep breath, he blurted out suddenly, "Who are you?"  
Rhi had to keep from laughing, he hadn't changed, not one bloody bit. He was still that same silly maniac sailor she new all those years ago. New and... she shook the thought from her head and extended her hand to Jack sweetly, but took care to keep her ruana over her swollen belly.  
"I'm Rh...Rose, I'm Rose, and you are?" Rhi tried to smile, maybe it was not a good idea to tell him, maybe. She really was not lying, she had always been his Irish Rose. It was only a coincidence that her husband's ship had the same name.  
Jack looked down at her hand for a moment, hesitating. He reached out and shook her hand breifly, pulling back fast and fluttering his fingers a little. "Captain Jack Sparrow." He tilted his head a little, making a wierd face in his concentration. "Do I, er, do I know you?"  
Rhi rested her hand inside of her ruana and onto of her belly. Even though brief she could still feel his hand in hers, oh what memories it brought back.  
She shook herself back to reality and smiled at him.  
"No, I'm not sure you do. But the sea is a very vast place and two souls are bound to meet sooner or later." She stepped forward getting closer to him. Two souls... Thoughts moved to the last time she had seen him, 12 years now...

"It is a vast sea, but our two souls are bound to meet again my love. I promise you, sooner or later we shall be together again." 

"Uh-huh." He tilted his head slightly at her words. "Tha' seems a tad contradictory, darling."  
His breath caught in his throat as she moved closer. This was ubsurd. What was he thinking about? He looked down at her and smiled nervously. "Uh, right. And do ye know me?"  
His fists clenched involuntarily at his sides as he struggled to breath regularly. For God's sake, what the hell is wrong with me, she's only a woman, he thought, his eyes wide.  
Rhi fought with herself, on one hand she could not tell him and all would remain as it had been for the past twelve years, but on the other she could tell him and watch as things unfolded before her.  
"No, at least not that I can remember, Jack..." She trailed off as she saw her husband standing behind Jack. Her eyes went wide.  
"Me wife 'as never met the likes of ye in 'er life, wha' ye wan'?"  
Jack spun around. He had been completely in awe of this woman, Rose, and he had let his guard down. Behind him stood the man he had seen standing at the helm. With his usual cocky grin back on, he held out his hand, keeping his other firmly fingering the pistol in his sash.  
"Captain Jack Sparrow. The pleasure's all mine." He swayed backwards as he realized how close the other man was, and bumped into Rhi. His elbow jostled her stomach gently, and his eyes went wide.  
"Oh bugger." His grin still playing on his face, he tried his best to slip between the man and woman.  
Rhi held onto her belly where Jack had bumped into her and watched as he tried to get in between her and her husband. Kelly's eyes were bloodshot and focused directly on Jack. If she didn't do something fast one of them would end up in Jone's locker, and she feared it just might be Jack.  
She moved and placed one hand on Jack's shoulder and the other on Kelly's.  
"Now now boys, make nice will you. I'm sure Captain Jack here meant no harm coming on deck, isn't that right Captain? You just wanted to say hello." Rhi said this to Jack as though she were talking to a child, she just hoped he realized what she was doing for him and would play along for once  
Jack shifted his jaw, slightly agrivated, and his teeth ground together lightly. I didn't bloody well just want to say hello, woman. I wanted to know why you were bloody staring at me! He thought this to himself, but then smiled nonetheless.  
"Aye. Hello. Tha's right." He glanced back at the Pearl and noticed Gibbs and many of the other crew members watching. A few already had their pistols out. He waved a hand at Kelly. "Hello! An' I'll just be going now..." He quickly moved between Kelly and the rail, trying to squeeze past and get down the gang plank.

--------------------

Rhi watched as Jack started to leave.  
'Bloodly Kelly, I'll kill him!' She stared at her husband while still glancing at Jack from the corner of her eye.  
"Kelly bloody man what do you think you were doing?!" Kelly grabbed ahold of her arm tightly, she could already feel the bruise forming on her pale and soft skin.  
"Wha' I'm doin'? Bloody wench ye know how tha' was? Ye ever talk to the likes of him again an' I swear I will..." She tried to remove her arm from his hold but only ended up pulling the two of them closer to the railing.  
"You'll what Kelly, you'll what have me flogged, whipped with the cat like one of your crew? What about this, hm would you endanger this?" She descretly placed his other hand on her belly. She loved Kelly, he had saved her, protected her. But he was a harsh and cruel man, and he took what he wanted and when he wanted.  
She felt his hand slip from her belly and she cringed not knowing what he would do next.  
Jack glanced behind him and he started to saunter away. He heard their raised voices and even though he could not hear all of their words, he got the jist of it.   
He frowned. He was sure he knew her from somewhere. At least had met her before. He racked his brains. What would a woman like her be doing married to a brute like him?  
He had reached the Pearl's gangplank and he placed a foot on it and then hesitated, looking back over his shoulder at the fighting man and woman on the deck of the other ship. Shaking his head, he looked away, but didn't take another step up the plank.  
Rhi closed her eyes as Kelly's hand lifted up above his head. She could hear the wind wisp as he flung it forward his hand connecting with the side of her face. The force of the hit threw her to the ground. She grasped a hold of the railing tears running down her face. She could hear as Kelly made ready to hit her again, she glanced at the retreating Jack and then quickly clutched her eyes shut ready for the next blow.

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Authors' Note: Disclaimer, we don't own anything that belongs to POTC look on author's page for full disclaimer.


	3. Ghosts of Heartache

Ghosts of Heartache:

--------------------

The sound Jack heard next sent his heart into his throat. He spun around and saw Rhi fall to the ground, and Kelly raising a hand to slap her again.  
"Oy!" he shouted, running back over to the Irish Rose's plank and pulling out his pistol. He cocked it and waved it threateningly at the other ship's captain.  
"That's not very nice, mate. Don' touch her, or I'll kill ye." He slowly made his way up the plank, towards Rhi, keeping his gun on Kelly. He knelt down beside her and offered a hand, keeping his eyes on the man standing there, looking mutinous.  
Rhi could hear as someone yelled from the docks. She dared not open her eyes for fear the voice was all in her head. Her heart jumped as she realized it had been Jack's voice.  
She could feel someone kneeling down beside her, it could not have been Kelly he would never be kind this soon. She opened her eyes and glanced over at Jack. He had his hand extended for her to take. She let out a sort of crying sigh and threw herself into his arms making sure not to knock him over or the pistol from his hand. Was this really happening?  
Jack pulled her away, and behind him. He backed up a little shielding her from Kelly. "Only a fool treats a woman like that," he said, his voice low and calm, to Kelly. He turned his head, looking at Rhi out of the corner of his eye.  
"Rose, go down to the dock." Looking back to Kelly, he gave a little mocking bow of the head.  
"I don't know why anyone would ever marry the likes of ye," he commented, trying to give her time to get away.  
Rhi did as Jack said, she ran hard and fast as Jack stood between her and Kelly. Why had he saved her? Did he realize who she really was? Rhi moved quickly not really caring where she was going, nor noticing, that was until she was in the middle of a group of seedy pirates on the deck of the Black Pearl.  
She looked behind her at Jack, what was she going to do now?!

--------------------

Jack backed his way down to the dock, keeping his pistol on the man in front of him. "Captain, I bid thee a fine day!" He tipped his hat and dashed away, back to the Pearl. He reached the deck of his ship and looked back, then turned to his crew.  
"Get going, ye worthless dogs! We're setting sail, and quick." He turned to Rhi, concern suddenly settling in his eyes.  
"Who the bloody hell are you?!" he said, quietly. But his voice was exasperated. Why was he wasting his energy and time saving a woman he didn't even know, from her own husband?  
Rhi stared at Jack, what was she going to say? She lowered her head keeping her rauna still around her belly. It would not be a wise move to let everyone aboard know she was with child. She walked slowly over to Jack and with whispered words:  
"I am Rose, but Jack...can we talk in your cabin?" She felt tears fall down her face, now what?  
Jack stared at her. "Rose, Rose..." He pounded his head into his fist, trying to think. I don't know anyone named Rose!  
He walked over to the door of his cabin and held it open.  
"After you, Rose," he said, still with a small frown. What was going on? Had she not wanted to be saved from her husband's abuse? And why had he saved her, anyways?  
Rhi stepped into his cabin and looked around. A small faint smile spread on her face. She turned and walked around, her fingers brushing over everything. She delighted in touching it all. How long it had been since they both had been together, since he held her in his arms, and so long since his lips...Rhi shook that from her mind the faintest memory replacing it.  
'One day we'll leave here, you an' me. I wanna show ye the world Rhi. When I go, say ye'll come with me.'  
Rhi stopped at the door to his room and turned to gaze at Jack.  
"So you really did make it. You got your ship back and became of pirate. I'm proud of you Jack, I just wish that I..." She could not finish tears streaming down her face.

Jack's brow furrowed intently. He watched as she went around, looking and touching all of his stuff. The things on the desk, the wardrobe.  
"Wha'?" he said.  
"You...I...do I..." he babbled, uncomprehendingly.  
"Do I know ye?" he asked again. Something slid into place in his head suddenly. Rose... Irish Rose... He shook his head, suddenly sad for the second time that day, and sat down on the edge of the bed. It can't be, she's dead, he thought, his heart actually aching. He looked up into Rhi's eyes and then down at his feet, not understanding.

---------------------

"Jack I..." Rhi ran down and kneeled in front of him, her arms wrapping around his legs. She rested her head on his lap and began to cry a bit harder.  
"...I never wanted you to leave." She choked back the tears and looked up into his eyes, his sorrowful eyes. Did he recognize her, or what was it that caused that look of sorrow?  
"Jack?"  
As he looked down at her, his eyes wide, Jack shook gently. His mouth opened, but no words came out. He just sat there, staring at her, his jaw working furiously as if he had lost his voice.  
Then suddenly, he stood up, gently pushing her off him.  
"No. You...you can't be." He turned and walked out of the cabin, his mind working furiously. The crew gave him curious looks as they worked. They had gotten out into open water, with Tortuga now not much more than a place on the horizon.  
Ignoring them all, he took hold of the rigging and climbed his way to the crow's nest. No one was there, Cotton had not yet taken up watch. His mind was reeling, and he felt suddenly sick. How could this be?

--------------------

Rhi sat on the floor of his cabin in tears, what had he meant she can't be? She grabbed a hold of the sheets on the bed and pulled herself up. A strange pain in her belly.  
She trudged herself out on deck and watched as the crew stared at her like she was some ghost. She looked around for Jack but could not see him anywhere.  
She saw a scruffy looking man standing at the helm, his eyes staring straight up. The pain in her belly grew stronger. Just as she came to him she collapsed into his arms. The last thing she heard before she passed out was him yelling.  
"Jack, not more bloody women!!!!!"

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Discalimer: Don't own a bloody thing to do with POTC, look on author page for full disclaimer.


	4. Another Time, Another Place

Another Time, Another Place:

---------------------

Jack frowned and looked down the mast at his first mate.  
"What the hell are you talking about, man?" He asked, angry at his thoughts being interrupted. Then he spotted Rhi in his arms. His stomach flipped over and he stood, grabbed a loose rope, and swung down to the deck, right next to Gibbs.  
"What happened?!" He yelled, taking her from him. Picking up her limp form, bridal style, he took her back to his quarters and laid her gently on the bed.  
Frowning, he sat beside her and for a few moments, just stared at her. Then, coming to his senses again, he patted her cheek softly.  
"Rose? Wake up, love..." He looked down at her with a confused, torn expression. Could this really be happening? Could this be her?

Rhi could feel a warm hand on her cheek, she fluttered her eyes open to Jack sitting beside her.  
"What...Jack?" She lifted her hand to her cheek and wrapped her fingers with his. Her heart was fluttering and her belly still hurt.  
"Please if nothing else let it live, please let it live."  
It felt as if a dead weight had been lifted from Jack's heart. He gripped at her fingers tightly, holding on.  
"Rhi..." he said, quietly. Quickly, he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her onto his lap, cradling her there.  
"One day..." he said softly. He held her tightly, one hand still entwined in hers. His other hand ran through her soft hair.  
"I thought ye were dead," He said into her forehead, where he had rested his lips. He felt suddenly guilty, something he very rarely felt.  
"I'm so sorry, love..."  
Rhi cried softly there in Jack's arms. His lips on her forehead were warm and comforting, and she feared moving from him. She pulled her head from his lips and using her free hand ran it over his face.  
"Don't be sorry, it was not your fault. How were you to know?" She let her fingers linger on his lips. A thought struck her then, this was wrong. She was a married woman.  
"Jack, I need to tell you something..." She moved the hand that Jack had his wrapped up in onto her belly and slid the rauna off resting his hand onto of her swollen middle.  
"It's his." Jack smiled gently and nodded.  
"I figured as much. I don't think any woman could be pregnant for...12 years now." He slid his now free hand onto her round stomach and rested it there.  
"12 years." He pulled her more sideways into his lap with the arm still wrapped around her and rested his chin on her shoulder, blowing softly into her neck.  
"What do ye want to do, love?" he asked her, his voice muffled by her hair. He couldn't imagine letting go of her ever again. Letting that other man have her back.  
Rhi moaned at the way he blew on her neck. He still had the same effect on her as he did twelve years ago. She pushed from his hold and started walking around the room.  
"What do I want to do?! Damn Jack what I want to do and what I have to do are two different things. I want to stay here with you, but I have to go back, Jack I..." Rhi toppled over in searing pain, screaming like she had just been shot. She held onto her belly as tightly as she could.  
Jack's breath caught in his throat as she began to fall. He bolted up and to her, but could not catch her in time. He wrapped his arms firmly around her, and would not let her go. Not for anything.  
"Ye're on the _Black Pearl_, love. Ye've got the freedom to do whatever the bloody hell ye want." He pressed his lips gently against her soft ear lobe and whispered,  
"An' I'm the captain. An' I want ye with me. I can't leave ye again, savvy?"  
Rhi grabbed a hold of him and curled up into his arms.  
"Jack, I'm married, this is not twelve years ago. I'm not that young girl you used to know. I'm someone's wife. I have to go back and you know it." She choked back the tears and softly kissed his lips before passing out once more.  
"Since when do I follow the rules, love?" Jack asked her still form, resting his head on top of hers. He sat like that, holding her close, for a few minutes. Then he stood up, taking her with him, and laid her down on the bed again. He passed a hand over her forehead and then her swollen abdomen, pulling the blankets up over her form. Before going outside, he bent over her and pressed his warm lips gently to hers.  
Out on deck, Jack spotted Will and made a B-line for him.  
"I see ye are finished with your whore, than, eh?"

Will raised an eyebrow at him.  
"I was about to ask you the same thing, Jack." Anger blazed so suddenly, Jack had no time to rethink his actions. He raised a hand up and backhanded Will hard across the face. The force of the blow sent the younger man to the floor, clutching his jaw.  
"Don' you ever say that again, savvy?" Jack bellowed, glaring down at Will mutinously.

William stared up at his captain and friend. What had he said wrong? Was the woman in Jack's cabin not a Tortuga whore after all? And why did Jack care so much? He called women whores all the time.  
"Jack, I-" But Jack had already turned and stormed off to the helm.

--------------------

Rhi moved a bit in her bed, she turned over to wrap her arms around her husband's body. Her hand laid onto nothing. She patted the bed with her hand as she snapped her eyes open. Panic took over her, she was not on the _Irish Rose_.

"Ye ok, girl? Ye seem to have the Capt'n worried, he backhanded young Will out there for callin' ye a wench." Rhi watched as a dark skinned woman marched her way to the bed, everything flooded back to her. This was the _Pearl_, she was with Jack, he knew who she was, and he wanted her to stay. Rhi sat up and wrapped her arms around herself.

"So who are ye anyway? Never seen Jack act like tha'." The woman's eyes fell on her swollen abdomen and she smirked.

"Ah so tha' is it is it? Jack goin' to be a daddy? So where did he get you, Tortuga, Port Royal? Ye really think he will help out? Once he is bored ye an' yer child will be out on a long boat." Rhi could not take anymore of it, this woman had no idea what she was talking about. Rhi without a word jumped from the bed forgetting about the pain in her middle and stormed out on deck. She looked around realizing it had to be around midnight at the earliest. How long had she been out?

Jack heard a faint voice below him from the helm, but took no heed. He stared up at the night sky for a while. His head tilted a little absently and a hand rested on one spoke of the wheel. A longing expression crept into his features as he watched the horizon. The only thing that could never be captured. It would always be truly free.  
He sighed, then frowned as he heard footsteps and the door of his cabin slam. He thought all of the crew were either asleep or drinking below. Looking down on the lower deck, he spotted Rhi and smiled. Just watching her for a moment, he realized how much he had made himself forget. He had forced himself to give up that part of his life, and he thought it had been gone forever. But now he had found it again and it may be gone just as quickly.  
Rhi walked over to the railing. She watched as her tears fell into the ocean blue. She wondered at her life now. She knew she had to go back, if only she had said yes all those years ago, if only she had gone with him.

--------------------

_FLASHBACK_

Rhi sat kneeled on the floor in a pile of blankets, her sheer nightgown already halfway off of her. Jack ran his fingers over her chin and down her neck. He tickled them over her breasts and she closed her eyes as he caressed her passionately. His lips soon found her neck and his arms pulled her into him. She moaned as her nude body was pressed against his bare chest. He rested his lips on her ear as he gathered her hair in his hands.  
"Come with me Rhi, I'm leavin' on a job t'night. It may be months before I make it back." He pulled away slightly the fire from the hearth shinning on them making their bodies glow like sunlight.  
"I can't and you know it. I may not be a nobleman's daughter, just the cousin of a military man, but I can't go with you all the same. I am not made for sailing. I would only be in the way." Jack pulled her up to him and leaned their bodies onto the floor.  
"Aye ye can, love. Come on lets leave t'night, we can sail away and it will just be ye an me the rest of our lives. Just say yes." Rhi began to cry and wrapped her legs around him. She moaned as he moved.  
"Jack this is a goodbye...for now at least."

Jack stood outside of his small house, pulling on his baldric. He watched Rhi as she stood there in her sheer nightgown he had just moments before thrown on the floor.  
"Rhi be ready, t'night, I'm not leavin' without ye." Rhi was already crying. She walked up to him and took his hands in hers. She placed in them a rip of her nightgown tied neatly with a lock of her hair.  
"It is a vast sea, but our two souls are bound to meet again my love. I promise you, sooner or later we shall be together again." She smiled and pulled into him for one last kiss. She let him fall into her. This she knew was it, the last time she would ever see him again, the last time she would be with the man she truly loved.  
Jack shook his head as he pulled away slowly from her kiss.  
"I's just another job, Rhi. I'll be back soon, I promise."

--------------------

_PRESENT DAY_

Rhi held on tightly to the railing as she slid down and just cried. She should have said yes, she should have left with him that night. Why had she been so blind, so stupid?  
Jack watched as Rhi, the woman that for so many years he had thought dead, now sat on the deck of his ship, crying. She hadn't seen him. Sighing, he moved quietly down the stairs to the lower deck.  
"I wonder," he started, kneeling behind her and looking out over the sea.  
"I wonder if it was better this way. If you had come with me that night, you'd probably have drowned when they...when they sunk the _Witch_."   
He ran a hand over the wood railing fondly.  
"But now she's back, and ye're here. Maybe this is what should have happened..." He rested his hand on her shoulder and ran his thumb up and down her neck. Then, with a sudden though, he reached up to untie something from his hair. The shred of her nightgown she had given him that night, now worn with years and weather, the hair within it long gone. He held it out for her and smiled faintly.  
"I never completely forgot, as much as I wanted to."  
Rhi turned and looked at the shred of cloth in his hand. She wanted to jump on him and just kiss him, but the small child within her reminded her what promises she had made.  
"Better this way? Jack..." She stood up and took the cloth from his hands and walked just a ways from him.  
"It seems that the fates are against us, I don't think we were ever meant to be together. Not for more then a teasing second..." She walked back up to him and set the cloth back in his hands.  
"You should have just forgotten completely, it would have been better...for both of us." Rhi marched off back to Jack's cabin with all notion to sleep.

Jane sat on the stairs of the Pearl, watching quietly as Jack and this mysterious girl talked. The whole crew had been talking about her, and how Jack had just about thrown Will over board for calling her a whore. Of course Jane had heard many versions of the story, with each new telling the story got more wild. One crew member had even gone so far as saying Jack had sliced off the boys ear in a sword fight. Though Jane was not so stupid to believe any of this, in fact she had not only seen it but had the pleasure of comforting Will after the assault.  
After a couple of minutes, the strange woman walked away looking as though heartache had come upon her. Jane stood up and made her way over to Jack.  
"Jack? Is everything alright? You seem very upset." She asked a smirk playing over her lips. She knew something was going on. She may not have been on the Pearl for very long, but now as she was part of the crew whatever was vexing the captain was her business.  
"So who is this mysterious woman who has got you all twisted and vexed, huh?"  
Jack watched as Rhi walked away. After she was out of sight, he turned to the starboard side of the ship and rested his face in his hands.  
A voice behind him made him jump and look around. He had completely forgotten about Jane.  
"Huh? She's, uh, Rose." He stood up and rested his back against the railing. He rested his head back, tilted all the way back, so that his mouth hung open slightly. Then a thought struck him.  
"Jane, I'm going to go talk to William, and you can take his room, savvy?" Jack climbed to his feet, and set off briskly for Will's room. He hammered on the door.  
"William! Get up!"

The door opened, and there stood Will, looking tired. When he saw Jack, he shrunk back, thinking he was still mad.  
Jack shook his head.  
"You need to take a hammock down in the crew's quarters, mate. We have a lady needing a room." Frowning, Will opened his mouth to protest, but then saw the girl behind Jack. He smiled brilliantly suddenly, as Jack rolled his eyes.  
"Alright, I'll let ye two figure that out. I have some business to finish." He turned and walked back to his cabin, leaving Jane with Will who both seemed a little too happy about the situation.  
He opened the door quietly in case Rhi was already asleep.

Rhi curled herself up beneath the covers of Jack's bed. She took in the heady scent and sighed. The fates must really hate her, how they toyed with her and Jack.  
She heard the door to the cabin creak open and knowing it would be none other then Jack, closed her eyes and pretended to sleep.  
Jack crept over to the bed and looked down at the sleeping body beneath the covers. He sighed, not knowing what more he could do to convince her to stay. Removing his boots, vest, and shirt, Jack pulled back the covers enough to crawl under them.  
Scooting close to Rhi from behind, he wrapped his arms around her and rested his chin on her shoulder, spooning her in his legs. It had been a long time since he had held her in such a way, and this had always been the way he would hold her as they slept. Sighing again, he closed his eyes. But before drifting off completely, he whispered,  
"Destiny is a matter of choice, love, not chance. We may not be able to direct the wind, but we can adjust the sails." With that, he dropped into a light sleep, content for now.

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Authors' Note: Ok a warnign there are going to be a lot of flashbacks in this story, the entire concept was comparing their old life to their new, so yeah hehe, but the flashbacks are interesting at least!

Please see the author page for disclaimer, butbyeah we don't own a bloody thing!


	5. In Desperation We Fight For The Past

In Desperation We Fight For The Past:

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Rhi fluttered her eyes open, she could feel strong arms around her and she turned over. There holding her tightly was Jack.  
She lifted her hand to sweep across his face, she delighted in the feel of his beard in her fingers. It had grown much longer since they had last seen each other, and was now braided and decorated with beads. Just as she was getting lost in her thoughts the door to the cabin flew open.

"Capt'n!!! We got a ship firin' at us!!!"  
Jack's eyes flew open at once. He had been awake for a while, his eyes closed, just lying there. But he knew this could be to good to last, and he had been right.  
"Load the guns! Turn about and try to make waves before they do any damage." Jack lept from the comfort of the bed and slipped on his shirt, vest, and coat. As he was pulling on his boots, he turned to Rhi.  
"Get down and be quiet." He took out a small dagger from the desk and handed it to her.  
"I love you," he added quietly, before grabbing his baldric and hat and darting out on deck.  
Rhi took the dagger and laid herself back on the bed. She listened as Jack left out on deck. She had no plans on going out, not one. That was until she heard the guns. She knew them, it was the Rose. She lept from the bed and out on deck.  
Her hair was all tousled about and her skin slightly damp from the sweat Jack's and her's bodies had created. She leaned out over the side of the ship and looked out. She could see her husband's bright red hair glowing in the morning sun. He was out for blood.  
Jack hadn't yet seen the man standing on the attacking ship. He was much too busy preparing for a battle to come. But they weren't fighting yet. The Pearl was faster and they would run before using up ammo.  
Jack shouted orders to his crew, and as they ran about, he turned around slowly and spotted Rhi. He hurried over and took her hand, pulling her away from the side.  
"I told ye to stay in the cabin," he said, anger in his eyes. But it faded quickly as he looked down into her face. Leaning over her, he met her lips with his and kissed her deeply.  
Rhi was startled as Jack pressed his lips to hers. She knew she should have pushed him away, she knew she should have stopped him, but she didn't. Whether it was the fact that she had no will to do it, or that she really did not want to do it. It didn't matter for she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled herself up deepening the kiss, making it so hard so passionate that she could feel blood trickle from her lip where it had been sliced by her teeth.  
Tears, blood, and sweat dripped from her lips as she held onto Jack, when she finally pulled herself from him she looked him deeply in his eyes, her voice coming out cracked and hoarse.  
"Jack, it's Kelly, it's the Rose. He has come to get me."

--------------------

Kelly watched from the deck of the Rose as the Pearl sailed ahead of them.   
"That bloody Sparrow, I will kill him the moment I lay my eyes on him!!!!" He thought it was bad enough that Sparrow had stopped him, bad enough that Sparrow had given her time to get away, bad enough that he took her away on his ship, but he was wrong. He could just see the side of the deck of the Pearl, and there he could recognize Rhi, her long red hair toppling down her back all entwined in Sparrow's hands. He wanted to blast the ship right out of the water as he watched his wife, the woman he saved ten years ago from a seedy pub, kiss Sparrow. But the worst of it was not that she was kissing him, it was that she had never in those ten years kissed him like that.  
He was going to kill that man!!!

--------------------

Jack smiled as she pulled away, but before he could say anything, she spoke. His face paled at her words, and as he turned to look, his heart plummeted to his stomach.  
"Bloody hell," he muttered, thinking hard. He looked back to Rhi, his arm wrapped firmly around her, and gave her a weird look. Then, without any hesitation, he bent and grabbed her knees, picking her up bridal style again and dashed down the stairs to the brig. He splashed through the little water that covered the floor and set her down in the cell.  
"I'm sorry love, but I can't lose ye again..." He looked at her sadly, searching her eyes.  
Rhi looked up at him and ran her fingers over his lips.  
"Jack I'm not yours to lose or keep. You have to let me go. I gave my life to Kelly, I'm his wife now. Bloody hell Jack this is his child. You have to let me go..." She tried to plead with him, just to send her away. If she stayed he would be killed, she knew Kelly better then anyone. He would not stop till Jack was dead.  
Jack sighed.  
"Rhi..." he said, not really having something to say, but needing to say something.  
"Rhi..."  
He sighed and rested his forehead on hers.  
"Alright, love. But please, be careful." He stepped out of the way, allowing her to move out and back up to the deck. He took her hand and squeezed it momentarily.  
"I really do, ye know. I love you. And I always have..." He let go and climbed the stairs rapidly.  
"Men! Turn hard aport! We're goin' ta fight!"

--------------------

"Load the Longnines now!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Get ready to fire men!" Kelly unsheathed his sword, Sparrow was going to die and that bloody wench of a wife was going to get what she deserved.

--------------------

Rhi watched in horror as Jack ordered his men. He was going to fight, he could not just let her go, no he was going to bloody fight. She figured what he was doing, that fool! She looked over at the Rose and back to Jack. She wiped the tears away from her face, there was only one thing to do to save Jack.  
She ran up to Jack and grabbed his face giving him a passionate kiss.  
"My life belongs to him...but my heart to you." With that she ran off and made to hide behind the cabin door so Jack would not realize what she was about to do.  
Jack stood there, stunned at what had happened. It was so fast. He looked around for Rhi, but she was gone. His brow furrowed, in worry, but he spun about to face the upcoming battle. When the Pearl had turned about so she was perpendicular to the Rose, Jack raised his cutlass to the air and shouted,  
"Fire!" The sound was deafening as cannon after cannon were lit. Jack did not wait until they were all finished, before he was ordering them to reload. He would not let him take Rhi. Nothing would split them again.  
Rhi wiped away tear after tear as she lowered herself down in the longboat. She had to do something, Jack was going to get himself killed. She would rather live a life of pain then know Jack was dead.  
The ocean was moving fast as the two ships fired on one another, Rhi could feel the boat move from one side to the other, but she had to get to the Rose she had to save Jack.  
Kelly sneered as he ordered the guns to be loaded once more. Why was Sparrow adamant about keeping Rhi, he had never met her in his life. So why?  
Kelly laughed as he saw Rhi rowing her way to the Rose, the stupid woman!  
"Kratz! See that boat out there...Shoot at it!"

"FIRE!" Jack kept shouting. The same orders, over and over again.  
"Damn it! Fire, fire, FIRE! Put them in Jones locker!" He turned to climb up to the helm.  
"Down to the-!" But he stopped suddenly, one foot on the stairs, his face as pale as a ghost. One of his own long boats rocked violently in the sea, upset by the battle. And inside...  
"Rhi!" Jack screamed, watching in horror as Kelly too saw her. She was going to get herself killed! Leaping towards the helm, Jack grabbed the spokes and began turning the ship hard to port once more, so that the Pearl was heading straight for The Irish Rose.  
"Prepare to board!" he shouted, and the command was immediately followed by the clanking and scraping of swords and cutlasses and the clicking of pistols as the crew grabbed the hand grapples and readied to toss them onto the Rose.  
Rhi watched helplessly as the Pearl boarded the Rose. She remembered how years ago it was this stubbornness that attracted her to Jack in the first place. She was snapped out of her thoughts as her little boat was being fired at...by her HUSBAND! She swallowed hard and tried to find a way to safety, she could not go back to the Rose, Kelly would kill her, she could not go back to the Pearl as it was boarding the Rose.  
Far off into the distance she could see it, no more then a speck on the horizon, land. She began to row her way to it, it may take her days, weeks even but anything was better then this. The waves caused by the battle caused her boat to sway this way and that, she could hardly keep the boat from capsizing. She cried and prayed silently to herself. But she had been forsaken, the boat capsized sending her deep beneath the water, all she could think as went under was how she wanted this, she wanted to die.  
Kelly sneered as he saw the crew of the Pearl, he searched through the crew, there was only one man he wanted, one man he pledged to kill...Sparrow!  
"Take no prisoners men!!!!!"   
Jack grabbed a rope and swung from the helm of the Pearl, to the enemy's decks. He too was searching the crowd. Rhi had not yet reached the Rose. Praying she was safe, Jack lunged his sword into the nearest man he could find. He had to find Kelly before he got to Rhi. He spun about, searching desperately, defending himself only against those that attacked him.  
Nearby, Gibbs was fighting a young man. When he had killed his opponent, he turned to look at Jack. What was he doing? Why wouldn't he fight?  
The water rushed around like someone had been stirring it up. Rhi could not breath and could not see. Images of her past, of laying in Jack's arms, of his flesh on her's, of seeing him leave, of meeting Kelly for the first time, the feeling of his flesh on her's, and finally of that last kiss with Jack. Jack was wrong, you didn't make your own destiny, if he was right she would not be where she was now. No, other's shape it for you. And they hated Rhi.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Authors' Note:

Rhiannon: hehe I had a dream about Davey Jones last night

Gebo: Don't tell me now you have a thing for him too? Hehe. It's that tentacle pointer finger, I'm sure. Admit it, you think it's sexy. grins evilly

Rhiannon: Hehe yeah, I'm on a roll, it's wheat

Gebo: You're like butter! spreads Rhia on the wheat roll

Points above This is what happens when two writers get together and write...and this was a normal day! O.O

For disclaimer please see author page, but still don't own a bloody thing.


	6. Deserted Yet Not Abandoned

Deserted Yet Not Abandoned:

--------------------

Kelly could see Sparrow as he walked on deck, he knew he was looking for him. But why? He fought off man after man making a bloody path to Sparrow, he was the man he wanted he didn't care if he didn't kill any other man that day as long as he killed Sparrow. He saw one of his men advance on Sparrow and could feel the blood rise in his face.  
"Sparrow's Mine!!!!!!!!!"

Jack looked around and at last, he saw the other captain. His heart beat furiously and he fought his way over. Holding his sword out, he glared at the man.  
"Leave 'er alone, mate, savvy?" was all he said, before lunging forward towards Kelly. He missed only by an inch, and swung around for a second attack.

Kelly laughed and walked up to Sparrow.  
"Wha's it to ye mate? She's me wife, ye 'ave yer own whores." He lifted up his sword and brought it down slicing it past Jack's shoulder leaving a thin line of blood.

Jack thrust his sword forward, cutting his shoulder a little more on Kelly's blade. The point of his own cutlass momentarily pointed at the other man's side, before it was driving home, through the side of his abdomen.  
"Is that all ye think she is, mate? A whore?" He twisted the blade a little, trying to cause the other man as much pain as possible.  
"I'll be sure to let her know..." He yanked the blade from Kelly, sneering in triumph.  
"But the truth is, Rhiannon and I go way back. And ye aren't going to get her back."

Kelly grunted as Sparrow pulled the blade from his abdomen. He could feel the blood seep from his wound and drip onto the deck of the Rose.  
"Way back? I rescued 'er from a seedy, old, dirty pub in India." Kelly thrust forward with his blade just missing Sparrow by a hair. He almost fell over onto his face as he turned back around.  
"Plus wha' ye wan' 'er for? She ain' nothin' but a whore who don' even know how to please a man."  
Jack glared at him and stepped to the right swinging the hilt of his sword around and just barely missing Kelly's head.  
"I want 'er to be happy. An' I know she isn't happy with you." A thought occurred to him.  
"Ye rescued her, eh? From the East India colonies?" He reached out for the pistol wedged into the belt of a dead sailor on the ground beside him, raised it suddenly, and cocked it.  
"And then ye brought her here to the Caribbean. Well, mate, I suppose I should be thankin' ye. Because without ye, she'd still be in that little town, full of memories, an I'd still believe her to be dead." His finger rested on the trigger, but he did not fire. He only stared him down.  
Kelly stared down the barrel of the gun Sparrow now held. What had he been talking about? What did Sparrow know of his wife? He reached for his own pistol but thought he would throw up as soon as he realized that Sparrow's swipe had caused it to be thrown from his belt. He glanced out to sea and smirked. There floating in small pieces was Rhi's boat, and not far from that a lifeless form floating, its red hair tangled in a mess above the water.  
"She is dead mate! Look out there! Yer darlin' Rhi ain' breathin' as far as I can tell."  
Jack did a double take. His eyes flicked momentarily in the direction Kelly was referring to, then back again. After a second long, he spun around and realized the man was not lying. There, in the water, floated a seemingly lifeless form. Jack's heart went cold as he stared at it.  
All thought was gone from his mind. He didn't know where he was. Dropping the gun, Jack almost flew to the edge of the ship and swan dove in.  
He needed to get her, she couldn't be dead. He could not handle her dieing again. It had nearly killed him the first time, now it would for sure. Before he had even risen to the surface for more air, Jack was swimming frantically towards the shards of the long boat.  
Kelly laughed as a trickle of blood dripped from his lips. He picked up the pistol Sparrow had dropped and turned around.  
"Get rid of the rest of them men an' let's get our tails out of 'ere!!!!"

--------------------

The water was cold, or was it more that she was cold? She with the last bit of energy she had wrapped her arms around her belly. Tears melted with the ocean water. Maybe she didn't regret it, maybe she did. It all didn't matter now, she was dying.  
Jack reached the wreckage and gasped for air. He picked through the shards and planks, searching. There it was, a flash of red. Jack turned and saw Rhi's tangle of hair floating a few feet away. He swam quickly and grabbed onto her.  
"Rhi!" He gasped, doing his best to keep her head above the water.  
"Rhi?" He pulled her over to the largest bit of the boat left and pulled her onto it. It was just big enough that he could get her on completely, but he remained holding onto the wood with one hand, his other hung over Rhi's still form.   
He puffed slightly, in an effort to stay in one place, and ran his hand over Rhi's face.  
"Wake up, love..." His heart ached and a warm tear drifted into the salty sea.  
Rhi sputtered a bit of water from her mouth and began coughing like mad. She felt a warm arm around her and looked over to see Jack trying to get her to wake up.  
"Jack...J-Ja...wha..wh..." She still could not breath or speak, her lungs too full of water. She grasped for Jack, crying so much she could not see.  
Jack held tight to her hand and, reaching around with his other hand, tried to push the water out of her chest.  
"I'm here, love. Come on, cough it up..." He leaned in and pressed his mouth to hers, trying to give her breath. He spit out the water that had come from her lungs several times, clearing them out. Panting, he looked up and spotted land. They were nearer now, but not by much. He only hoped the current would carry them there.  
Rhi gazed up at Jack and wrapped her arms around him.  
"Am I dreaming? I thought I died...Jack don't let go of me...please don't..." With that she passed out her head banging hard on the bit of wreckage.  
Jack lifted her head gently and rested it on his extended arm that was holding onto their makeshift raft. With a little bit of effort, he wrapped his other arm around Rhi so that he was half on the raft himself, letting the waves carry them towards land. For a while, he watched the horizon, as the fading shape of the Pearl grew smaller and smaller. His eyelids drifted closed slowly, and he soon fell asleep, ignoring the stinging in his shoulder.

--------------------

Rhi fluttered her eyes open, they were no longer moving, no longer bobbing up and down. She lifted her head and looked around. Land!!!! They were on land. The island that she had seen, they had landed on it.  
"Jack we are safe for now, land Jack land!" She looked at Jack on top of her and sighed. He was asleep. She pushed him off of her and stood up to look around. She patted herself down, everything seemed to be ok, not even a pain in her belly. She ran her hand over her chest and pulling back she found blood. She thought she would faint, but she could not find a wound. Her heart fell as she realized who it had come from. She ran back down to Jack and began to shake him.  
"Jack, Jack wake up please!!!" She could see the cut in his shoulder, the battle, he must have been injured. She could only hope it had not been given to him by Kelly himself.  
Jack moaned and rolled over onto the sand. His eyes opened momentarily and then closed again.  
"Bloody hell!" He opened his eyes again and looked down at his shoulder. In his adrenaline rush to rescue Rhi, his shoulder had not bothered him at all. But now it stung like hell. Grimacing, he sat up and looked at Rhi.  
He smiled, despite his pain, to see she was perfectly fine.  
"Hello, love," he said softly, his voice raspy from all the yelling of the previous day.  
Rhi laughed and smacked him softly across the face.  
"Hello love? Hello love?!!! After all of that, me almost dying, you attacking the Rose instead of running, the two of us almost drifting off out to sea and all you can say is hello love!!!!!!!!!!" She grabbed his shirt and set her lips close to his and giggled a little.  
"Ok then, Hello my love."  
Jack smirked and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her down onto his lap.  
"Would ye stop blabbering and come 'ere?" He rested his lips upon her neck, his arms snaking around her swollen belly.  
"Are ye alright?" he asked into her neck, his lips gently brushing against her skin.  
His hands ran over her stomach, and he thought he could feel the child inside.  
"Rhi...Kelly was...pretty badly wounded. I...I don't think it will be able to heal completely. But you, are you okay?"  
Rhi slipped her hand down over Jack's at her belly. She felt a tear fall and knew it hit Jack's skin. She loved her husband, but maybe this was not a bad thing. She knew the man Kelly was. She and her child didn't stand a chance on the Rose, but now...now...they might have a chance to live.  
"I'm fine Jack, and the child is fine as well. Don't worry about Kelly, I don't care any more. He shot at me, he is not worth my worry."  
Jack didn't answer. He was kissing her slowly, inching his way down her neck and over her collar bone. He smiled, acknowledging her words. Mumbling something quietly, the words were lost to his lips, still moving down, know brushing over her shoulder. One hand wandering up her side and into her long hair, entwining it in his fingers. His other hand remained under hers, caressing her stomach with his thumb.  
Rhi moaned as Jack caressed her body gently with his lips, and ran his fingers through her hair. She could hear him mumble but she could not make it out as his lips refused to leave her skin. She rolled fully on top of him only slightly tilted so her abdomen was not pressed against him. She could feel his thumb move across her belly beneath her hand.  
Suddenly a thought came to her.  
"Jack we can't, come on get up."   
Jack groaned and fell back onto the sand, his head tilting back. He wore an exasperated look on his face.  
"Ye kill me, love. Really ye do." He shifted to looked up at her, grinning. But in this new position, the wound on his shoulder was filled with sand.   
"Ah!" He yelled, sitting halfway up again. He tilted his head at a strange angle to look down at the cut, and frowned.   
"Tha's deeper than I thought..." Sighing, he looked around behind him, scanning the shoreline.  
"Really isn't much to look at, is it? Reminds me of... Ah, ne'ermind..."  
Rhi rolled her eyes and ripped off the lower half of her skirt.  
"Sit up Jack, if we don't get that clean it will fester. And you know me, I won't touch you after that. So if you want this..." She swished her hand back and forth between her and him.  
"...to happen then let me get that cleaned up."  
Jack sat up and examined her new half-skirt. His eyebrows raised, he looked up at her and grinned.  
"That's interesting."  
He twisted around in place so she could see his shoulder.  
"Alright, just be gentle. I'm delicate, ye know." He smiled mischievously and leaned towards her.  
"Are you now?" She kneeled down beside him and blew and wiped out the sand and then started to wrap up his shoulder, albeit a little rough.  
"Next time love, don't play the hero and try and rescue me by fighting. You should have run, you stupid wretch. You could have gotten yourself killed!"   
Jack flinched as she worked on his shoulder and looked up at her, frowning.  
"Rhi...enough with the lecture, love. I wasn't about to run and leave ye behind to be killed, savvy?" He fingered through the sand absently, looking away.  
"I couldn' do tha'...ever." He sighed. If he had ran, she would no longer be alive. He knew that now. But back on the Pearl, he didn't know that. So what else had driven him to make the decision to turn and fight?  
Rhi tied off the wrapping and kneeled down in front of Jack resting her hand on his right cheek.  
"I know Jack, and I thank you for it. But please be careful, I would rather be dead then know that you were hurt because of me." She gazed into his eyes deeply, she meant it too, she would gladly kill herself to save him. She rested her head on his forehead and just closed her eyes.  
Jack smiled contentedly, sharing her breath as their noses were inches from each other. Sitting there, he looked at her closed eyes, so close to his own. Something in the back of his mind shifted into consciousness. A memory...

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Authors' Note:

Jack didn't grab his own gun because he doesn't want to waste the shot when the other gun was convenient. Roll with it, people.

Okay...Can anybody say TITANIC?! I swear, we did NOT mean to do this, and Rhia hasn't even ever SEEN it! But... Jack in the water, (Irish) Rose on the wreckage, 'Don't let go...' shivers Hehe, complete coincidence.

See author page for disclaimer, and nope don't own it!


	7. Stay With Me

Stay With Me:

--------------------

William Turner sat in his cabin, nursing the wounds he had received from the battle with i The Irish Rose /i . With a small frown, he examined a small gash on the underside of his forearm and then sighed and dropped his arm back to his side. It had been 24 hours since Jack and that woman had gone missing, and i The Pearl /i and her crew were now sailing as fast as they could away from i The Irish Rose /i .  
Standing up, Will went to the wardrobe and pulled on a loose tunic shirt. Then he went out on deck to see if he could help with anything. On the other side of the deck, he spotted Jane, the new crew-woman, working with some rigging. He smiled. She was very pretty. Then he blushed and found himself feeling very guilty indeed. It was like he kept forgetting he was married. He thought of Elizabeth, but no happiness swelled in his heart as he thought of her and their unborn child.  
He shook his head desperately and looked away from Jane. What would Elizabeth do if she had seen him now? Did he care? No, of coarse he did. He loved her, he was sure of that. He just did not know if he loved her the way he thought he had...as a wife and a lover...

--------------------

Jane worked on the rigging; the battle had damaged the ship a great deal. But she knew the i Pearl /i could take much more, mostly after she had heard the tales of the i Pearl /i and Jack.  
She turned to see that young man, Will Turner. When she had first come aboard the ship she had thought Jack very handsome in that dirty smelly pirate kind of way. But this William was quite different, he held an air of gentleness that Jane had rarely seen.  
She had spent her life with pirates, all crass and crude and she had become one of them. She began to wonder what it would be like to be with a man who made her feel like a woman and not a whore.  
She smiled at Will and turned back to the rigging, maybe she would get to find out after all.

--------------------

As Will went about random little chores about the ship, another woman came up beside Jane and sneered at her.

"So, ye think ye like Turner?" Anamaria asked pointedly, referring to the way Jane had smiled at him. "I wouldn' e'en think abou' it, if I were ye. He's a married man, ye know. His wife's due to have a kid too, soon enou-"  
"Ana!" Gibbs called from the helm. "Mother's love, would ye get back ter work? We need to find the Cap'n!"

Jane smirked at Ana as she went on about Will. She had to keep from laughing as Mr. Gibbs yelled at her. She leaned in and whispered to her.

"I'm a pirate luv, like I care if he be married. In fact if I wanted him that bad I would kill his bloody milksop of a wife."

Will looked up as he heard the temporary captain shout, then he looked around to see what Anamaria had been doing. When he saw her with Jane, he frowned. She was most probably being rude, like everyone else on the ship. He sighed, stood up and headed over as Ana walked away.

"Sorry about her, miss. She really isn't very nice, I know."

"Oh I don't care, she is just sore is all. Bet she hasn't had any for years, all dried up I'd say." She laughed a little and grinned sweetly at Will.

Will blinked at her for a moment, a little stunned at what she had said, but then smiled.  
"Indeed. Well, whatever the reason, I tend to avoid her. I mean, Jack can barely control her." He frowned for a moment, and then added, "Not that women need to be controlled...or anything like that."  
He blushed a little.

Jane let go of the rigging and walked closer to him and set her lips to his ear, her breath just grazing his flesh.

"Sometimes a woman likes to be controlled." She laughed quietly and walked off leaving Will there and Ana staring at her evilly from across the deck.

Will's eyes grew wide and he stepped back, looking surprised.  
"Uh, do they?" He frowned and sat down on the rail. "Not Elizabeth, that's for sure. She likes controlling..." He sighed, but tried to smile. "I feel like I should be missing her," he muttered.

--------------------

Jane sat on the larboard railing, her legs dangling off the edge. Much of the day had been all the crew working on the ship as Mr. Gibbs tried to figure out the best way to go about finding Jack and that Rose woman.  
She hadn't been on the i Pearl /i long, but she knew better to ask questions about what was going on. Though by the way Gibbs was acting she would have said not even he knew what was going on and why Jack attacked I The Irish Rose /i instead of just outrunning it.

Will watched her for a moment from the distance, then, with a glance towards Gibbs, he saw that the older man wasn't paying a bit of attention. Slowly, Will moved towards the railing where Jane sat. He sat next to her, facing the opposite direction and sat in silence for a moment, trying to think of something to say. Oddly he found he should try and say something smart, or witty. It always seemed to work for Jack. Will opened his mouth to speak, and then hesitated again.

"Er...Are you one of those...silent, 'I'm not telling you anything about me' ones, or...do you mind telling me about yourself?" He rolled his eyes. He sounded retarded, even to himself.

Jane laughed and leaned over and grabbed his face in her hand. She rested her lips to his and whispered.

"I'm the kind of girl who will let you know all about me, if of course you are willing to tell me about you." She smirked and let go of him and turned and set down on the deck.

"Night Will, see you tomorrow." She walked making her way to his bedroom.

"Sweet dreams." She winked and went inside.

--------------------

Will held his breath, debating whether to follow her or not. He felt guilty as it was, having slept with a Tortuga whore, but now he was sharing a room? And with an obviously seductive and very attractive woman...

As he came down the hallway, he blinked at the closed cabin door. Maybe he should knock...but it was his cabin, so perhaps he could just go in? He shook his head. What to do? Finally, he raised his fist and knocked twice, sharply.  
"Eh...Jane? Are you decent?"

Jane smirked as she sat on the edge of the bed only a torn pair of pants on and nothing else.

"Aye as decent as a pirate can be!"

William smiled and reached for the door handle.

"Oh, good. You know, I was wondering. You can have the bed to sleep on I- ahhhh!!"

He had opened the door and spotted Jane, wearing next to nothing. He stared at her for a moment and then looked away, blushing like mad.

"I, uh...I thought you said you were...oh, god. I'm sorry!" He shielded his eyes and started to back away, but then stopped and look up, trying very hard to look only at her face, but not quite succeeding.  
"You...you did that on purpose...didn't you?"

"Oh who little ol' me?" She laughed and stood up pulling back the covers before grabbing a shirt off the bed and slipping it on.

"I told you as decent as a pirate could be, you live with pirates you should have know we can't be decent. I told no lie." She laughed and slipped into bed still eyeing him.

"I...Well, that was very.. i _decent /i _ of you, Miss Jane." Will smiled and stepped back into the room. "As I was saying...I, uh, will sleep on the chair or the floor, if you want the bed. I'm guessing you, a la- well, woman, would want the most comfortable. I'll just..."  
He trailed off, stepping over to the single chair in the corner and sitting down on it.

"Good night," he said quietly, his face still slightly red. Leaning back, he did his best to get comfortable, but couldn't altogether succeed. Finally, he settled for a half laying position, with his backside scooted as far forward on the chair as possible, and he neck against the back of the chair. It was rather awkward, and Will was sure it looked ridiculous as well, but her hope Jane wouldn't look at all as he closed his eyes and tried to drift off to sleep.

Jane stood from bed and walked over to Will and grabbed his arm and pulled him to the bed and threw him down.

"Stop being a fool, we can share this bed and not do anything. At least I can, what about you?"

Will looked up at her guiltily. "I...I don't know." With a little frown, he sat up and scooted away from her on the bed. "Look...I know what you saw, me with Giselle when you first got here...But the thing is, I am married. It's just...I don't want you to not know that, okay?"

Jane laughed and curled up under the covers.

"I know you're married. I never said we were going to do anything, in fact I do believe I said I can share this bed with you without doing anything. Now stop being a panty waist and get in bed, the least we can do is get some sleep so we can find the captain tomorrow." Jane patted the side of the bed next to her and smiled at Will.

Will frowned, but sighed, and gave in.

"Alright, but you promise to keep your hands to yourself then?" he asked, pushing himself under the covers, but as far away from Jane as possible. He did find her very attractive, and he didn't have a single clue what might happen in the middle of the night if he were to roll over and brush against her. He was afraid he might think she was Elizabeth and...

Will shivered. This woman could probably kill him if he lost control in his sleep.  
"If I...wake you up, I'm sorry," he mumbled.

Jane turned over and rested her head down and looked at Will almost laughing.

"Oh don't be sorry, but if I wake you..." She smirked and bit her lip.

"Don't be frightened."

Will choked and looked at her warily.  
"Right...well, good night, Miss Jane." Will turned his head away from her and then rolled over on his side, closing her eyes. He thought about the battle of that day, and what might have happened to Jack.  
"I do hope we find him tomorrow...," he whispered, not really sure if it was to himself or to her.

--------------------

Jane woke up and breathed in. She stopped and held her breath. She didn't open her eyes at first, only felt around. She smiled and peaked out one eye. Her and Will were spooning. She closed her eye and snuggled close not even bothering to get up. Let Will know what was going on.

Will woke up slowly, but didn't open his eyes. He sighed deeply, taking in the scent of the woman curled against him. He wrapped her arm around her tightly, breathing in the scent of her hair. After a while, he kissed the back of her neck lightly. Then he paused. Something wasn't right... Where was he?

Suddenly, his eyes shot open.  
"Oh jeez!" He shouted, jumping away quickly. Once out of bed, he stred in horror at Jane on the bed. Then he looked down at himself and jumped. His shirt was gone, and his trousers unbuttoned at the waist. He looked back up and back away.  
"I am so, so sorry, miss. I didn't...what...What happened?" he asked, looking truelly distressed and disgusted with himself.

Jane laughed and stood up, her clothes as well disheveled and her hair a bit of a mess.

"As far as I know nothing, but by the state of you and me I would say different. Too bad I can't remember if you were good or not." She winked at him and grabbed her shirt from beside the bed and began to get dressed.

Will blushed.  
"I...I don't think we did anything. I'm sure I would remember, I mean..." He shrugged and looked away as he buttoned his pants up. "Look, let's keep whatever happened, or didn't happen, to ourselves, okay? Don't tell any of the crew...got it? And I'm sorry. I knew that would be a bad idea..." He shook his head and slipped on his shirt and coat, and baldric. 

"Tonight, I'll sleep in the chair," he muttered as he turned to the door, having slipped on his boots as quickly as possible.

"If that's what ye want mate, don't matter to me. But I can tell ye if something did happen..." Jane waked over to Will and leaned close to him so her lips were touching his.

"You would remember, I'm not forgettable." She laughed and ran up on deck, the entire crew already setting out to find their captain and his mysterious woman.

William sighed wistfully and turned his head to watch her leave. When she was gone, he waited for a moment and then followed her up on deck. He found Gibbs at the helm and nodded to him.  
"What is the plan, Gibbs?" he asked.  
"Well...we just have to guess was direction the current carried them in and...follow. Hopefully we're right," Gibbs replied, frowning.  
"Mm-hm..." Will murmured distractedly, watching Jane closely as she worked on the lower deck. Gibbs followed his gaze.  
"You'd do better to leave the lass be, Young William," the older man commented.  
"...What?"  
"Nevermind," Gibbs muttered, rolling his eyes. "I'm going to work on findin' the cap'n now. You go do...whatever you fancy."  
"I'll help!" Will said indignantly.  
"No you won't," Gibbs argued. "You're obviously too distracted."

Jane moved this way and that across the deck as she helped with various jobs. She could feel Will's eyes on her the whole time. She laughed to herself and decided to play a bit.  
She walked up to Gibbs where Will was and stood on the other side of Gibbs as they sailed. She didn't say anything at first only stood there looking out to sea as though she was trying to find something.

"I think we are heading in the wrong direction." Was her simple and to the point statement, no sweet smile or move towards Will, she didn't need it, all she needed was to stand there.

Will glanced at her and coughed.  
"Gibbs, what are you doing, you old fool. Turn the darned ship about a little bit!" William pushed Gibbs away so that he was no in charge of the helm and standing next to Jane as well. He turned to wheel a few degrees to starboard, trying to ignore Gibbs trying to take the helm back.

Jane laughed a little bit and continued to look out to sea.

"Um Will, its larboard you want. You are turning completely around from where they are." Jane slipped her hands over Will's on the wheel and turned it so they both were sailing the ship.

"Would have thought you would know how to steer a vessel this big...guess I might have been wrong."

Will shrugged and just stared down at her hands over his own. Then her last words hit him and he looks around.

"I...I do know how..." He said slowly, not sure if she had sincerely meant just the ship, or if she really did have other vessels on her mind. Either way, he did not want to make a fool of himself. "No, no. I i _do /i _ know how!"

Jane laughed and pulled in closer.

"Then care to show me love just how well you can?" She sighed deeply making her chest rise and fall heavily.

"Ahem." Will hesitated. Then he smiled and nodded. "Yeah...okay." Unable to help himself any longer, Will released his other hand so the Jane stood between his arms and between himself and the wheel.  
"I steered her through a storm once, when Jack got knocked out..." That was a lie. Jack hadn't been knocked out, he had climbed into the rigging to fix something and Will held the wheel for about ten seconds.

Jane smirked and pulled in, she wound her arms around his waist as he steered and she rested against him tightly.

"Oh did ye now, stayed the course did we, sailed her straight and fast?" She wet her lips and looked up at him.

"Aye," Will said, sounding very proud of himself. "Very fast. And the waters were rough as can be, let me tell you!" He looked down at her, and smiled faintly.  
"Lots of tossing and rocking, but never any trouble with capsizing... I promise."

"Ah..." Jane smirked and slipped one of her hands under Will's shirt.

"It must have taken a lot of force to get her moving huh? You must have had to really push her." She sighed again and looked up at Will her heart beating very hard.

Will shrugged and slipped his hand around her thin waist, running his fingers over the fabric of her loose shirt.  
"Aye, lots of hard work. But I got it through her, pardon, I mean her through it." He laughed, but masked it with a cough.

Gibbs stared at the two of them, and then shook his head and wandered away. Young people these days...

"Uh huh now...It must have taken a very long while to get through her, eh I mean it." She laughed a bit and slid her hands in front of her but kept them at his belt.

Will smiled widely and lifted her shirt up just a bit, running his strong fingers over the smooth skin of her stomach.

"Aye...And it was a long ride...it ended with a bit of a bang. But I came out with energy to spare, as I had to go up and fix the rigging a bit afterwards of course. They are sometimes knocked loose in the storm." He slipped his hand further under her shirt, running his hand around and over her back and upper tail bone.

Jane moaned deeply and grasped his shirt at his chest and pulled him in so their lips were just touching.

"Sounds like fun, I hope I can see you in action soon. I think it would be very...very...very exciting." Jane let go and pulled from his arms and walked over to where Gibbs had gone.

"I think you can take the helm back now old boy." She smirked and patted him on the shoulder. Looking over her shoulder she licked her lips at Will.

Will sighed and watched her go. Then he realized Gibbs was back.  
"Did you want me to take the helm, William?" he asked.  
"Yeah..." Will muttered, not taking his eyes off of Jane. He stepped away from the helm and quickly followed her down to the cabin, feeling rather dazed. "Get back here you," he said when he neared her, taking her wrist gently and stopping her. "The deck is rather dull today...don't you think?"

"Yes very..." Jane smirked and pushed Will up against the wall and pressed her lips tightly to his parting them roughly.  
She moved around till she was sure he could not move. She smiled all the while during the kiss.

Will smiled, timidly kissing her back. He pulled away a little and grinned.  
"Guess that's not so bad," he said quietly. He pushed against her hands and spun her around, sliding one hand back along her back and lifting her shirt up even further, but he did not hold her against the wall, only held her tail bone gently, pulling her against him.

Jane moaned and pulled away from the kiss. She looked him up and down and pulled out of his arms.

"Well in fact it is, I seem to recall that our Captain is missing. I think we should pick up on this later, that is unless ye still are planning on sleeping in that chair." She laughed and walked out on deck.

Will smiled faintly, watching her swaying walk as she left. Pick upon it later, she had said. Will started to slowly follow her. He could wait until later...he could wait forever. Then he felt a guilty twinge in his gut. What about Elizabeth? Will sighed heavily and looked at his feet. Elizabeth wasn't here...she would never find out about a tiny romance, for surely this thing with Jane wouldn't last...would it? They were both so different. They could not possibly get along.

Jane watched as wounded man after wounded man walked around deck trying to do what they could to help find Jack. Jane herself wasn't doing as much as she could have been, she knew this though didn't really care at the moment. She had just joined the crew, she barely knew Jack and even less of this Rose. But still she felt a small tinge of guilt as she thought about the fact they were out there somewhere most likely dead.  
Thinking on this she forced herself to forget Will, but only until that night, that night he was hers.

Will went back up to the helm and stood next to it in silence for a few minutes, watching as Gibbs adjusted it occasionally. He looked around the deck and saw many of the crew kept stopping in their jobs to scan over the waves for any sign of their captain or the boat wreckage. None of them understood, but they were all worried. Though none of them would admit it, they all liked their captain. He was lenient, and didn't use the cat, or any other cruel punishment, but he wouldn't stand for anyone taking his ship. With Gibbs as the captain... anything could happen.

By early evening, they still had not found anything. Will turned to Gibbs and sighed.  
"Are we going to drop anchor for the night? We won't find anything in the dark, and it won't be long before the sun sets completely." He looked out at the starboard side of the ship at the sun, already low in the sky, and the sky starting to turn grey and pink. "We'll start searching again at sun up... but, I don't know."  
Gibbs nodded sadly and called out to the crew, "Drop the anchor, bring in the sails! We're done for tonight, lads!" He looked back at Will. "It's not looking very promising, is it? It would be a miracle if they survived even the sea..." They both were silent for a moment, and then Gibbs patted Will on the back. "See you bright and early... We have to find our captain."  
When Gibbs was gone, Will made is way over to the starboard side of the ship to watch the sun set, leaning against the rail a little, and looking stressed. They needed to find Jack. As much as he hated saying in, Jack was Will's friend, and Will was loyal.  
"Loyal," Will snorted quietly to himself. No... he wasn't loyal. He was a cheat... He was cheating on his marriage... And what if his child was born by now? And he wasn't there, nor was he staying faithful... He was turning more and more...pirate.

Jane walked up to Will and set her hand on his and looked up at him before looking back out to sea.

"You know I was once in this exact same situation. Well, at least when it came to the missing Captain. My first captain and I were, well we were and that is all the needs be said. But I was caught by the enemy and when he came for me a huge storm started brewing. I was able to get myself away but he was lost to the sea." She looked up at Will and smiled.

"This may not sound likes it helping, but the fact is he was lost for weeks and we still found him and he was a worse captain then Jack. Don't worry Will we will find him." She rested her hand on his cheek and sighed.

"I'm going to bed now, there will be a place for you if you wish there to be."

Will nodded silently, not looking at her. He felt so torn. He could go down with her... or he could sleep on deck. Once more, Elizabeth's face swam to the front of his mind. He sighed, but forced the thought away. He loved his wife, very much... but she was so irritable most of the time. He rarely felt like she actually loved him in return. Jane on the other hand... well, it was much too early to tell.  
Without another thought on it, Will climbed down to his cabin and knocked before opening the door. He smiled at Jane, a little distantly, and sat down on the edge of the bed, his head in his hands.  
"It's been... a long day..." he said, his voice slightly muffled.

Jane sat up in bed, the long shirt she wore as a nightgown shifted as she moved. She knew just by the way Will was looking out to sea what his mood would be. She slid her hand along Will' face and onto his shoulders motioning him to come and lay in her arms.

"I know Will, and it is not about to get better anytime soon. Come and sleep."

"Sleep sound good. I told Gibbs we'd be up first thing in the morning, to start looking again." He yawned a little and scooted back into the pillows, lying down his head and shoulders partly in Jane's arms, and partly in her lap.  
"As soon as..." he yawned again, "it's light enough outside to see something floating in the water."

Jane pulled Will closer to her so his head was resting on her chest and her arms were fully wrapped around him. She ran her fingers through his hair and softly rocked back and forth like the sea.

"Of course, sleep now and we will deal with this in the morning."

He looked at her as his eyes started to drift close. He couldn't help himself. He was exhausted from the sheer amount of tension around the ship, and his eyes were strained from looking through a spyglass all day. He yawned once more, and his eyes closed entirely with the exhale. Now, lying there, he looked like a small child, being put to sleep by his mother. He mumbled something indistinct, and his head gave a little jerk as he drifted off to sleep at last.

Jane smiled and continued to rock him back and forth.

"There sleep now, sleep."

--------------------

The next morning, Will woke up very early, long before anybody else. He sat up in bed and looked down at Jane beside him. He smiled a little and passed his hand over her sleeping face. She was very beautiful, but it wasn't the same type of beauty as Elizabeth. Jane was... well there was no other way to describe it; a pirate. He stood up after a few moments of watching her and pulled on his boots.

When he got out on the deck, he realized he was not the only person up. Gibbs already stood at the helm, but the older man's head was bowed, his forehead resting upon the wheel of the ship. Will approached him quietly and looked at him sympathetic.  
"Are you... alright, Gibbs?"

Gibbs looked up at him and shrugged.  
"Didn't get much sleep, I suppose." He eyed the state of Will; he didn't even have dark circles under his eyes from lack of sleep. "You look like you did though... I suppose you had enough activity to tire you out the rest of the way?"  
"No, actually, I fell right to sleep..." He thought about being rocked back and forth in Jane's arms and smiled again. Then the smile fell. "We'll find them today... soon. Sometime soon."

Jane fluttered her eyes open, noticing Will was gone she rose from bed and dressed. She walked out on deck and watched as almost the entire crew was already working to find Jack.  
She walked up to Will and Gibbs and rested a hand on both of their shoulders.

"Don't look so glum, try an' keep at least a content look on yer face, got to keep the spirits of the crew up."

Will looked down at her, sighing. He attempted a smile as he patted her hand gently, then looked back at Gibbs, who was staring at him.  
"You, er, have the wheel?" Will asked the older man. Gibbs nodded, eyeing Jane, then shook his head.  
"Ye'll get yourself in trouble with your wife, young Will..." Will glanced at Jane, but chose to ignore Gibbs. He took Jane's hand gently and pulled her away.  
"Did you... sleep well?" he asked softly when they reached the rail, trying once more to lift the ends of his stressed frown.

"As well as ye expected. You?" Jane patted his hand and pulled away looking back out to sea. She was worried, maybe they wouldn't be able to find Jack, then what? Would Gibbs take over? Hell even if he did there was always a chance that another crew member would challenge them. She had talked around, she knew not everyone liked Will, and she was relatively new. If Gibbs was killed or stranded, what would become of the two of them?

"Oh, I slept alright," Will replied. He rested his hand gently on her arm. "You do know I'm... married, correct? I'm sorry... I should not have encouraged this, but..." He sighed. "If there's a mutiny, I am not going to leave you, alright? I'll take you back to Port Royal if... if I have to."

"Oh Will you didn't encourage it...I did." She pressed her lips gently to his and stood back.

"I know you are married, hm I wonder what would happen if I were to join you in Port Royal. I know your wife wouldn't like me. Nothing could come of us then. Because of this I pray for no mutiny."

"As do I," Will said, smiling slightly. "But things do happen and... Jane, I need to tell Elizabeth at some point. She's expecting me home and my child..." He ran a hand through her hair. "I do not know what to do just yet."

Jane smiled and ran a hand along his cheek.

"Then for now just stay with me, forget her while you're with me and when you must return I will respect your choice. But please until then stay with me." Her hand lingered at his lips before running down to play with the bottom edges of his shirt and the top of his pants.

"Alright," Will whispered. "I'll stay, for now." He wrapped an arm gently around her back and pulled her to him, kissing her lightly. "Let's go look for our captain, shall we?" he asked, his voice toneless.

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Authors' Note: Ok yeah yeah we bet you're wondering WTF?! Don't worry Jack and Rhi are in the next chapter, we just wanted to do something with Will.


	8. Crossroads of Time

**CrossRoads of Time:**

--------------------

_FLASHBACK_

A younger Jack stood in the doorway of a dark room, watching as a barely visible form slept on the bed. He sighed, watching for a minute longer, then backed away, and closed the door, leaving the room within in total darkness. He crept down the stares of the small house and walked over to a table where his sword and pistol lay. Looking down at them, he frowned and glanced back at the stairs. Was this the right thing to do?

Making up his mind, he slid his baldric over his head and his gun into his belt. Then, with on final glance at the door at the top of the stairs, he opened the door and stepped out into the street of a British-colonial Indian port. The air outside was fresh and salty, and he paused to breathe it in, before striding out towards the docks. His gait was much sturdier and more purposeful than nowadays, but still had a certain swagger to it. And suddenly, he was at the docks, looking up at the ships. Anger burned through him, as he was reminded once again that his ship, _The Wicked Witch_, was no longer there.

A small man was busy tethering the rope from the nearest ship's bow to the dock. He was bent over, his back to Jack. Pulling out his pistol, Jack stepped towards him and spoke.

"Who's the Captain of this 'ere beauty, mate?"

The man, looking startled, looked up and nearly fell into the water when he saw Jack's gun.

"Uh, that'd be...uh...me." Jack smiled.

"Excellent. Well, now she's mine." He cocked the pistol and moved forward to untie the ship again. Then he stepped onto the gangplank and onto the ship's deck.

"I thank ye, mate." With that he sailed the tiny ship out of the bay.

--------------------

_ONE YEAR LATER_

A huge ship with black sails could be seen on the horizon of the quaint port. Many heads stopped to look, their jaws hanging. When the ship berthed, a tall, familiar man stepped out onto the gangplank and made his way along the docks. He moved quickly, knowing his route by heart. He had gone over this so many times, it was flawless in his mind. But real life had other ideas.

Jack almost ran the last few steps to the door of his old house and flung the door open.

Silence. Complete and utter silence. Jack stared, wide-eyed into the room that he had once known so well. A thin layer of dust covered every surface and the sounds were muffled on it. His footsteps left dark prints on the floor as he walked inside. Nothing was recognizable. The table which, one year ago, he had picked up his effects from, was lying sideways on the floor, one leg broken off. Both chairs were tossed to the side, as though someone had run passed them in a hurry. And the small window in the back was cracked.

Jack's pulse quickened, as he surveyed in horror the scene around him.

"Rhi?" He called quietly. His voice rang out in the still air. He looked up into the stairwell and frowned. A moment later, he was pushing open the bedroom door, and as he looked inside, his breath caught in his throat. A similar layer of dust covered everything in there too, but the bed. Jack walked towards it and stared down. A large ruddy stain covered much of the blankets, which were torn and old looking. A sudden violent shudder went through Jack, as though he had been struck by an earthquake. He fell to his knees beside the bed, his head in his hands.

--------------------

Present Day

Rhi opened her eyes to see that Jack was just watching her, something in his eyes revealing such sadness. She pulled away and stood up running her fingers through his hair.  
"Come on, we should make camp. It is hard telling how long it will take the_ Pearl _to find us."

--------------------

Later that night, Rhi laid within Jack's arms, she listened to the crackling of the fire in front of them. The sound taking her back to years ago, the night everything fell apart.

--------------------

_FLASHBACK_

Rhi laid in bed, her breathing slowing. She smiled turning over, it was nice to have Jack back home. She had thought that when he had left she would never see him again. Beckett was getting very worrisome as of late. She extended her arm to wrap around Jack still needing his warmth even after the passions of the past day. She patted her hand around before jumping up in bed, he was gone.  
She jolted from bed and threw on her robe searching around the house. She was crying and screaming as she started running outside. All of his things were gone, his baldric, pistol and cutlass. He never took those unless he was going for a long while. She fell to the ground her head in her hands and she wept.  
She didn't realize how long she had been out there till the sun burned her skin, she moved slowly inside collapsing on her bed. The bed she shared with Jack, the only man she had ever loved. Her eye caught site of a bit of paper on her table, slowly she opened it and read.  
Tears flowed ever more freely, why hadn't he told her about this? She could have helped, or at least she would have been there to say goodbye. Now she may never see him again, and she would have to live with the fact that she didn't get to tell him just how much she loved him. Everything made sense at that moment, the way he acted when he got back into port. The fact that the moment he got in he couldn't keep his hands off of her, he had been preparing to leave. She curled up on the bed and wrapped her arms around herself, he had to come back, he just had to. She needed him more then he knew.

--------------------

Present Day

Jack sat in front of the fire, cradling Rhi gently in his arms. The glow from the flames lit up his features brilliantly and sent strange shadows across the sand and their bodies, which were so close to each other.

"Rhi..." Jack spoke, so quietly, he was barely audible.

"I...I didn't wanna leave you, ye know. But I needed my ship, and I couldn't risk yer life just for something I wanted." He rested his lips against hers for a moment and then pulled back once more.

"And I'm sorry I didn't have the courage to tell ye in person."

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Authors' Note: hehe we said a lot of flashbacks, and this is far from the end of them. Ok hopefully we will have the next chapter out soon, if not you can yell at Rhiannon, she is very slow at updating. --Hehe you would think it was Gebo who was writing these author notes, hehe, Guess I'm just hard on myself.--


	9. All Lovers Young

All Lovers Young;

_FLASHBACK_

Jack sat on the edge on the bed, a bit of parchment on his knee, scribbling quickly with a fountain pen. His handwriting wasn't neat, but was legible.

_My dear Rhi,_

I know I should have said this to you in person, and I am truly sorry. On my last job for Commodore Cutler Beckett, I was told to transport a large amount of slaves to the Americas aboard the Wench. You know me, love, I would never enslave another human being, taking their right to freedom. I made my way, instead, to Africa, and left them there. Beckett ordered the Wench to be destroyed. She now lies at the ocean floor.

I am a wanted man, and I cannot bring myself to endanger you any longer by staying. I'm setting out for the Caribbean, to start my new life as a pirate, as I am branded so. I hope that our paths will cross again.  
Be safe. I love you,

Captain Jack Sparrow

Jack laid down his pen and folded the paper in two, resting it on the bed beside Rhi. Then, touching her cheek, he stood up. "We will see each other again..." And with that, he walked to the door.

* * *

Present Day

"Jack if only you knew what your leaving really meant. You don't know at all what you have lost." She shifted in his arms and took his hand in hers trying to calm her breathing.  
"But I do, and I have to live with it everyday. I lost you and when I thought that I would get to have at least a piece of you with me, I lost that too."

* * *

_FLASHBACK_

Rhi laid in her bed, her hands running over her swollen belly. She felt a small pain, but shrugged it off. She smiled and made sweet sounds to the child in her womb, she may have lost her love, but now she had a part of him with her forever.  
She sang a little song, a sweet song Jack used to sing at night. It was a sea shanty about a mermaid and her child. The pain in her belly returned, this time it was stronger and much more powerful than before. She let out a cry of pain and wrapped her arms around her waist. She could feel the heat as it left her body. Looking down in horror, she screamed at the large red stain that was gathering on her sheets. Once her voice faded she fell back passing out into a dreamless sleep.

* * *

Present Day

Jack frowned down at her, not quite understanding. "Rhi, what...?" But before he could finish the question, a flash of his earlier memory came back to him. The large stain on the bed he had found after coming back a year later. It hit him, but he still didn't quite believe it.  
"Damn." He shifted Rhi in his arms so that she was facing him even more and hugged her closely.

"Our...our child?" he asked her, just to clarify that that was what she meant.

* * *

_FLASHBACK_

Jack opened the door to the house and crept in quickly. He had just returned to town from his job with Cutler Beckett. Fury and sadness still coursed through him at the loss of his ship, but as he closed the door behind him to the growing darkness, Jack tried to push all that to the side. This was his last chance to be with the woman he loved, and he wasn't going to ruin it with thoughts of revenge and hatred.

Creeping up the stairs quietly, he opened the bedroom door and smiled at the sight of Rhi already asleep on the bed. He stepped towards her and laid down next to her silently. After a moment of watching her sleep peacefully, he lifted his hand and brushed it softly down her side, towards her thigh.

Rhi awoke suddenly and with a small gasp, but as she saw who was laying next to her, she smiled. "Jack."

Still grinning broadly, and still trying to forget the events of his most recent trip, Jack scooted closer to her and brought his lips roughly upon hers. They kissed passionately, Jack's hands still roaming over Rhi's body. He pulled her against him and they were lost to each other in the night.

* * *

Present Day

Rhi tried to keep the tears from falling as she rested her head on his shoulder, but she was failing quite miserably.  
"Yes, I found out only a few weeks after you had left. But only two months before I became ill, she is buried just outside of the house. That is why I left, why I said yes to Kelly. I couldn't stay there, not with all the memories of us. I thought you were lost, and even if you did come back that you would be upset about our daughter. I tried Jack, but I just couldn't."

"Daughter..." Jack spoke softly. He had always wondered how it would be to have children. He couldn't say he ever really wanted one, but he hadn't disliked the idea either. And now that he knew that he had once had the chance to have a family, he felt angry with himself.  
How would it have been if he had stayed? He shook his head at that thought. Had he stayed, both Rhi and the child would be dead. They would have gotten caught up in the middle of Jack and Beckett. And he couldn't have taken her with him. It was much too dangerous.  
Jack stared into the mesmerizing flames, thinking hard. Then he smiled faintly and looked at Rhi, slipping his hand around her waist. With his other hand, he reached up to wipe the tears from her face.

"I'm never leavin' again, savvy?" Rhi snuggled up to Jack allowing her tears to flow freely.  
"I really wish I could believe that. Jack you are a free spirit, always have been and always will. I know you. You could never stay in one place, it would have driven you insane. Tell me, what is going to happen once I have Kelly's child?" Rhi wove her fingers with Jack's, her heart beating wildly as she waited for his answer.

Jack squeezed her hand gently as she entwined her fingers with his.

"I meant I wasn't goin' to leave ye. I'm takin' ye with me, from now on, wherever I go. And somehow we'll fight all dangers, together." He smiled and then chuckled. "I sound like a damn softy." Still laughing a little, he leant forward and kissed the tip of Rhi's nose.

"Jack softy or not, do you really plan on helping me raise Kelly's child, on the _Pearl_?" Rhi pulled his lips from her nose and gazed into his dark brown eyes. She knew what life aboard a pirate ship was like, she never questioned it with Kelly, always fearful he would leave her in some port. But with Jack it was different, if he was really going to take her with him she had to make sure he understood everything. She was not going to leave her child with someone in some port.

She had lost one child, she was damned if she was going to dismiss this one.  
"Well Jack, what say you?"

He didn't answer for a moment, looking into her deep eyes, trying to decipher the past that lay within them. What had he missed these twelve years?  
"Rhi, do ye remember the first time I showed ye the _Pearl_? Back when she was still the _Wench_?" He thought back to that day, with the hot Indian sun beating high above them.

He had run excited to his house from the docks to fetch Rhi. To show her his new ship. He had carefully shielded her from the sun with his brand new captain's coat.  
"I told ye that she would take us away. Well, in a way, she still can. And as for this child, forget about Kelly, love. He doesn't care for it anymore, or he wouldn' of fired at ye." He took a deep breath before finishing.

"We can raise a child on board the _Pearl_. Even better than on any other bloody ship. And we'll raise him right. To be the most infamous and feared pirate in the Spanish Main." He nodded, almost as if reassuring even himself. "An' we'll name 'im Jack, just for the effect!" He smiled, his eyes glittering again, and leaned forward to kiss Rhi firmly on the lips, asking her to relax and give in.

* * *

Kelly laid in bed aboard the _Irish Rose_, his side sore and festering where Jack had stabbed him. He smiled knowing for sure that Jack and Rhi had to be dead. It was too bad about the child, but it would've been nothing but a burden anyways.

He laughed, what had he been thinking marrying that wench?

* * *

Authors' Notes: Ok, well finally a new chapter, um yeah well not to bore on why it has been so long. Needless to say we have been busy. Now hopefully it won't be so long next time. We have almost the entire story written, we just need to finish editing it. Hopefully a new chapter every few days or so.


End file.
